China Monday denied allegations that prisoners were being used for forced labour, after a
British newspaper reported that a
London schoolgirl found a message in a
Christmas card claiming to be from inmates at Shanghai's Qingpu Prison.
Supermarket giant Tesco said at the weekend it had stopped production at a factory in
China after one of its charity cards was found to contain a cry for help from a prisoner who made it, according to the Sunday Times newspaper.
"I can tell you responsibly that, after seeking clarification from relevant departments, Shanghai Qingpu
prison does not at all have ... forced labour by foreign convicts," said foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a regular press briefing in Beijing.