China has strongly condemned the United States for blacklisting 29 Chinese companies under the “Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act”, stating that the move has no factual basis and represents an act of bullying under the guise of human rights protection.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce expressed firm opposition to the US decision, labeling it as “a typical act of economic coercion.” The spokesperson added that China has lodged solemn representations with the US and will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.
“China firmly opposes forced labor, and there is no such thing as forced labor in its Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,” the spokesperson asserted.
According to the Chinese official, the US has imposed sanctions without any concrete evidence, based solely on Chinese companies’ purchase of materials or recruitment of employees from Xinjiang. This action, the spokesperson emphasized, severely infringes upon the basic human rights of the people in Xinjiang, undermines the legitimate rights and interests of related companies, and disrupts the stability and security of the global supply chain.
“We urge the US side to immediately stop political manipulation, smearing and attacking, and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies,” the spokesperson stated.
The “Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act,” which took effect in June 2022, prohibits the entry of goods from Xinjiang into the US market under the pretext of combating “forced labor.”
Reference(s):
China slams U.S. blacklisting of firms over 'forced labor' in Xinjiang
cgtn.com
