Are You Guilty of Money-Laundering? A Tale of Chinese Cotton, Lawyer’s Fees and Unintended Consequences – Financial Remedies Journal

‘It is not often that a family law blog warns ordinary hard-working honest family lawyers that they might be unwitting criminals. This is that blog. You should read it.’

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Financial Remedies Journal, 17th September 2024

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

SRA: Convictions highlight Chinese ‘underground banking’ danger – Legal Futures

‘The sentencing of seven people involved in a money laundering network via Chinese underground banking is a valuable reminder to solicitors of its risks, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has said.’

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Legal Futures, 30th August 2024

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Chinese gang jailed for operating £55m money-laundering ring – The Guardian

Posted August 28th, 2024 in China, gangs, imprisonment, money laundering, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Seven people have been jailed for operating an undercover £55m money-laundering ring aimed at international university students seeking to bypass limits on the amount of cash that can be taken out of China.’

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The Guardian, 27th August 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court of Appeal finds the National Crime Agency’s refusal to investigate human rights abuse-linked cotton imports from the Uyghur region unlawful – UK Human Rights Blog

‘R (World Uyghur Congress) v National Crime Agency [2024] EWCA Civ 715. This landmark decision was a successful appeal from the judgment of Dove J ([2023] EWHC 88 (Admin)) on the single issue of whether the National Crime Agency (“NCA”) misdirected itself when reaching the decision (i) not to investigate alleged offences under Part 7 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (“POCA”) and (ii) not to commence a civil recovery investigation under Part 5, in respect of certain cotton products brought into the UK alleged to be the product of forced labour and other human rights abuses.’

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UK Human Rights Blog,, 23rd July 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Uyghur v NCA – and how it could affect law firms – Law Society’s Gazette

‘In its recent judgment in World Uyghur Congress v National Crime Agency, the Court of Appeal addressed the application of the money laundering provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) in the context of international supply chains. The appeal court’s clarification of the scope of the ‘adequate consideration’ exemption under POCA has wide-reaching implications not only for businesses with global supply chains but for all professional services firms in the UK.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 19th July 2024

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

NCA failure to investigate imports linked to forced Uyghur labour unlawful, court rules – The Guardian

Posted June 28th, 2024 in appeals, China, forced labour, national crime agency, news, proceeds of crime by sally

‘The UK National Crime Agency’s decision not to launch an investigation into the importation of cotton products manufactured by forced labour in China’s Xinjiang province was unlawful, the court of appeal has found.’

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The Guardian, 27th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Two more British judges resign from Hong Kong’s top court – The Guardian

Posted June 7th, 2024 in China, courts, Hong Kong, judges, news by sally

‘Two of the last remaining British judges to sit on Hong Kong’s top court have resigned, with one citing the political situation in the former colony.’

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The Guardian, 6th June 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Forfeiture ruling highlights underground banking threat – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 8th, 2023 in banking, China, forfeiture, money laundering, news by tracey

‘A money laundering case involving the sale of a £1.73million house has thrown a rare spotlight on the operations of the Chinese underground banking system.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 7th September 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Chinese couple barred from UK over Communist party donation allegations – The Guardian

Posted June 21st, 2023 in China, immigration, news, political parties by tracey

‘A pair of wealthy Chinese nationals have been barred from entering the UK after the government accused them of being involved in making donations to British political figures on behalf of the Chinese Communist party.’

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The Guardian, 20th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Chinese cotton sold in UK could be from persecuted Uyghurs, court hears – BBC News

Posted October 26th, 2022 in China, forced labour, government departments, news, sale of goods by sally

‘The UK government acted unlawfully by not investigating whether some cotton imports come from Uyghur forced-labour camps in China, a court has heard.’

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BBC News, 25th October 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Top human rights barrister highlights Chinese cyber-attacks on her and others – Legal Futures

‘One of the country’s leading human rights barristers has complained about Twitter accounts and emails purporting to be from her and other human rights defenders that spring up when they criticise China.’

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Legal Futures, 26th September 2022

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Kwarteng blocks takeover of Pulsic by Hong Kong rival over security concerns – The Guardian

Posted August 19th, 2022 in China, company law, government departments, Hong Kong, news by tracey

‘The UK has blocked the takeover of an electronic design company by a Hong Kong rival over national security concerns, in the latest sign of growing British anxiety about Chinese investment.’

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The Guardian, 18th August 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Chinese seafarers were coerced into leaving UK after war, Home Office admits – The Guardian

Posted August 2nd, 2022 in China, deportation, government departments, news, reports, war by tracey

‘Chinese seafarers with British wives and children were “coerced” into boats leaving Liverpool after the second world war in a “racially inflected” secret government programme, the Home Office has admitted.’

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The Guardian, 2nd August 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

An introduction to the Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa – Home Office

Posted February 1st, 2021 in China, colonies, government departments, Hong Kong, immigration, press releases, visas by tracey

‘This leaflet provides the key points of the Hong Kong BN(O) visa, including who can apply, how to apply, costs and eligibility requirements.’

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Home Office, 31st January 2021

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Special UK visa for Hong Kong residents from Sunday – BBC News

Posted January 29th, 2021 in China, colonies, Hong Kong, immigration, news, visas by tracey

‘About 300,000 people are expected to leave Hong Kong for Britain using a new visa route which opens on Sunday. Hong Kong’s British National (Overseas) passport holders and their immediate dependants will be able to apply for the visa using a smartphone app.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Uighurs could be allowed to seek genocide ruling against China in UK – The Guardian

‘Uighurs and other Muslim minorities would be given the right to petition a UK high court judge to declare that genocide is taking place in China, requiring the UK government to curtail trade ties with Beijing, under proposals brought by MPs and peers.’

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The Guardian, 29th September 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

New UK law could challenge China over Hong Kong, but will it go far enough? – The Guardian

‘New UK human rights sanctions legislation set to be published in the next few weeks is being touted as a possible tool with which to confront Chinese officials over Hong Kong, but questions loom about whether the law’s range and impact can meet such high expectations.’

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The Guardian, 2nd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Role of UK judges in Hong Kong appeal court comes under scrutiny – The Guardian

Posted July 3rd, 2020 in appeals, China, colonies, foreign jurisdictions, Hong Kong, judiciary, news by sally

‘The role of British judges who sit on Hong Kong’s highest court has come under intensive scrutiny as the new, Beijing-enforced national security law transforms the former colony’s legal freedoms.’

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The Guardian, 2nd July 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

C-19 damage: does international law hold any answers? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted June 1st, 2020 in China, coronavirus, damages, human rights, international law, news by sally

‘What is international law for, if it cannot be enforced against the country responsible for breach? That is the question raised by a recent report documenting a series of steps by the Chinese Communist party to conceal from the World Health Organisation and the rest of the world the outbreak and human-to-human transmission of coronavirus. If we want a rules-based international order to mean anything, the authors of the report point out, it must be upheld.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 1st June 2020

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ofcom investigates CGTN over coverage of Hong Kong protests – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2019 in China, demonstrations, freedom of expression, Hong Kong, media, news by tracey

‘The Chinese state-backed news channel CGTN is under investigation by the British media regulator over claims its coverage of protests in Hong Kong breached broadcasting rules.’

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The Guardian, 23rd September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com