British hotel chain ‘violating sanctions’ in China

April 17, 2025 | The Telegraph

A report by the Uyghur Human Rights Group claims that IHG, owner of large brands including InterContinental and Holiday Inn, is running hotels in areas overseen by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC).

The report, released on Thursday, says: “These hotels do not operate in isolation from these abuses, but function within a system of state control that weaponises the tourism industry in order to present the region as ‘normal’ and open for international business and investment.

“Promotional materials from these hotels ignore this context, implying that business can be conducted amid genocide.

“The presence and expansion of these hotel chains aligns with state-driven efforts to normalise repression and obscure the reality of atrocities.”

At least 115 hotels are operational as of April, with another 74 in various stages of planning, from IHG and large US chains including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott and Wyndham, the report finds.

The report says: “The presence alone of international hotel chains in a region undergoing crimes against humanity and genocide is morally indefensible.

“By offering high-end accommodation and leisure spaces, international hotel chains contribute to a sanitised image of the region, one that directly serves Beijing’s propaganda objectives.”

The presence and expansion of IHG and other hotel chains in Xinjiang violates the companies’ own commitment to various human and labour rights commitments, including the United Nations universal declaration of human rights, the report says.

Operating in China requires setting up partnerships with Chinese state-owned firms that then “financially benefit and advance the interest of a government responsible for crimes against humanity”, according to the report.

Read the full article: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/04/17/british-hotel-chain-violating-sanctions-in-china