Chinese authorities have strongly opposed the U.S. decision to impose sanctions on 29 Chinese companies allegedly involved in the forced labor of Uyghurs.
On Tuesday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated on its website, denouncing the U.S. actions as baseless and accusing the United States of using human rights as a pretext for typical economic oppression.
The statement continued, “China strongly condemns and firmly opposes this and has lodged strong protests to the US side.” The ministry stated that China opposes forced labor and asserted that no such situation exists in Xinjiang.
The ministry also criticized the U.S. sanctions, stating that they were imposed based on domestic laws without factual evidence. It argued that these actions severely violate the basic human rights of Xinjiang residents, undermine the legitimate rights and interests of related companies, and disrupt the stability and security of global industrial and supply chains.
The Ministry of Commerce urged the U.S. to cease political manipulation and defamatory attacks and to stop unjustly suppressing Chinese companies. It emphasized that China will take necessary measures to protect its companies’ legitimate rights and interests.
On November 22, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security added 29 Chinese companies to its list of import bans under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), bringing the total number of companies on the list to 107.
The newly sanctioned Chinese companies produce agricultural products, aluminum, polysilicon, and other goods.
The U.S. Congress passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in 2021 to block products made using forced labor from entering the country. The law went into effect in June 2022 and has led to sanctions against dozens of Xinjiang-based companies, government officials, and individuals implicated in human rights abuses.
Xinjiang is home to approximately 26 million people, two-thirds of whom belong to minority groups, predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and Kazakhs.
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