Response to the Trafficking in Persons Report by the U.S. Department of State
29-06-2018

The U.S. Department of State released the 2018 Trafficking in Persons Report ("the Report") and maintained Macao as Tier 2 Watch List. The Office of the Secretary for Security responds to the ranking and the relevant narrative as the following:

The Macao SAR is strongly determined to combat human trafficking crime. By means of setting up the Human Trafficking Deterrent Measures Concern Committee, the government is able to coordinate different bureaus and partners among the public to adopt international strategies so that collaborations in prevention, law enforcement and victim protection have been actively and effectively carried out. Under the supervision of the judicial authorities, investigations have also been effectively conducted. As a positive result of the aforementioned efforts, human trafficking crime has been constantly declining or remained at low or zero incidence.

The Report, however, continuously ignored objective facts and gave Macao reckless and unjust comments for years. In the 2018 narrative, it accused that Macao is a transit territory for women and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour. The security authority finds it hard to accept and strongly disagrees with such false interpretation, unsubstantiated deduction or unreasonably speculation.

In order to fight against human trafficking and all forms of exploitation, the Macao SAR Government will continuously take integrated measures with organizations and personnel from various professions to strengthen awareness among people from all backgrounds and ethnicities and to protect their legitimate rights. The security authority will cooperate closely with the judicial authorities to conduct investigative works. Meanwhile, the security authority will make use of all possible channels to maintain intensive communication and intelligence sharing with neighbour countries and regions so that we will bring together joint effort to prevent and combat human trafficking related crimes.

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