Response to the Trafficking in Persons Report by the U.S. Department of State
26-06-2020

The U.S. Department of State released the 2020 Trafficking in Persons Report ("the Report") and rated Macao as Tier 2 Watch List. The Office of the Secretary for Security responds to the subject as the following:

Over the years, the Macao Special Administrative Region Government has been following the Law no. 6/2008 and common international strategies to coordinate government bureaus and community stakeholders to implement human trafficking prevention and victim protection measures via the Human Trafficking Deterrent Measures Concern Committee. Meanwhile, the government has been consistently monitoring the progress of the aforementioned measures through constant follow-up and evaluation. By means of proper enhancement of relevant policies, the enforcement work has been effectively carried out under the supervision of the judicial authorities. As a result, the constant decline, low incidence or zero record of trafficking cases genuinely reflects the positive outcome of the overall effort.

Nonetheless, this year the U.S. Report once again failed to show the true situation of Macao and it was filled with biased interpretations, reckless conclusions and speculations without any substantial evidence. Furthermore, the Report failed to acknowledge even the most fundamental basis of the Macao legal system. The Macao SAR security authority does not agree with the Report and expresses strong protest against it.

The Macao SAR Government will combat human trafficking as well as preventing related issues with all walks of life with utmost determination so that the safety and legitimate rights of local citizens and foreigners are properly safeguarded. The security authority will also continue to co-operate with the judicial authorities to carry out law enforcement work as well as maintaining close connection with international society, neighbor countries and regions to jointly prevent and combat related illegal activities so as to eliminate human trafficking and all forms of exploitation.

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