Whistleblower Exposes China's Influence Tactics, Alleges UN Cover-Up Of 'Special Favours': Report

Emma Reilly, a former employee of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), has made serious allegations against the United Nations, implicating a disturbing nexus between the OHCHR and the Chinese government.

The UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee has highlighted Reilly's claims in a press release as part of its inquiry into international relations within the multilateral system.

Whistleblower Exposes China- Here's What She Alleged

According to Reilly's evidence, she alleges that the OHCHR provided "dangerous 'favours'" to the Chinese government, which align with China's broader effort to instrumentalize the UN for its national interests. The evidence suggests a "UN cover-up of special favours for China," as revealed by the UK Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, as reported by ANI.

Reilly's testimony also indicates that during the two-year negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals, Beijing allegedly paid bribes to successive Presidents of the General Assembly, exerting significant influence over the final texts. Furthermore, China is said to impose secret conditions across UN agencies, stipulating that funds provided may not benefit states with diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

Among other allegations, Reilly claims that a French national serving as the Chief of the Human Rights Council Branch in OHCHR secretly provided China with advance information on attending human rights activists. She also alleges that UN officials deliberately misled member states, including the UK delegation, regarding the sharing of names with China without consent.

Reilly's evidence outlines disturbing consequences for individuals associated with NGOs, stating that family members faced intimidation, arbitrary arrests, detention, torture, and even death in some cases, purportedly due to actions taken by Chinese authorities following information shared by the UN, as reported by ANI.

The testimony includes assertions that reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the origins of COVID-19 were edited to downplay the possibility of a laboratory leak.

Additionally, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) contributes evidence, highlighting China's efforts to reshape the multilateral system towards a state-centric, authoritarian worldview. The FCDO also comments on the disruptive roles played by Russia and Iran within the international framework.

Various organizations, experts, and academics have submitted evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, shedding light on attempts by autocratic states to co-opt and redefine strategically important multilateral organizations, as per media reports.

The Committee's ongoing inquiry into international relations within the multilateral system underscores the diverse strategies employed by countries to engage with or challenge these organizations. This inquiry builds on the Committee's prior report, emphasizing attempts by autocratic states to reshape multilateral principles according to their interests.