La Réunion signs cooperation memorandum with Tianjin

Huguette Bello, President of the La Réunion Region, signed a memorandum of understanding with Yunlin Yu, President of the Tianjin Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee, in Tianjin, China. The agreement aims to expand cooperation established in 2023 into new sectors, including renewable energy, digital technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, public health, and creative industries.

While regional leadership describes the agreement as a significant step in strengthening ties with Asia, the move has drawn sharp criticism from the group Place publique. The organization has condemned the partnership, citing international reports that link Tianjin to the forced labor and assimilation of the Uyghur minority. Critics have called on the regional presidency to release the full terms of the memorandum and to implement strict human rights clauses in all future international partnerships.