In the series of political moves against China, the United States is now set to ban imported goods from China’s Xinjiang region over allegations of forced labor.
Several countries have now criticized China over allegations of sending Uyghurs to mass detention camps located in Xinjiang. The news comes at a time when the US has canceled visas of several Chinese students.
According to Times Now News, China has been sending Uyghurs, an ethnic Muslim minority from Xinjiang, to mass detention camps where they are forced into labor with their religious activities being interfered with.
On conclusive evidence of the news, the United States has banned cotton, computer components, hair products, and some textiles from the Xinjiang region, saying that the country will no longer accept products made from Human Rights violations.
The Official Statement
The Deputy Secretary of Acting Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Ken Cuccinelli, said that by taking the said action, the DHS is taking a stance against illegal and inhumane forced labor.
He also labeled the case of forced labor as modern-day slavery. Ken believes that by doing so, the American economy will see beaming progress.
Since China would no longer be able to import goods in the trade cycles of America, the demand for domestic products will rise, giving a boost to the economy, especially in this time of crisis.
Additionally, Ken said in his statement that President Trump and his respective departments will always prioritize American workers and businesses, immensely if it helps to keep the American citizens away from participating in egregious human rights violations.
“The Trump Administration will not stand idly by and allow foreign companies to subject vulnerable workers to forced labor while harming American businesses that respect human rights and the rule of law,” Mark A. Morgan said, the Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner.
He also said that taking such a drastic step will send a clear message to the international community that exploitative practices of forced labor will not be tolerated in the US supply chains.
The Impact
The list of Withhold Release Orders (WRO) issued by the CBP includes hair products made in the Lop County Hair Product Industrial Park, and cotton produced and processed by Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co.
It also contains products from the Lop County No. 4 Vocational Skills Education and Training Center and apparel produced by Yili Zhuowan Garment Manufacturing Co., Baoding LYSZD Trade, and Business Co.
All of these companies reportedly function in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Apart from the computer parts made by Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co. in Anhui, it also faces a ban since reports surfaced that both prisons and forced labor manufacture the products.
Image courtesy of Lightspring/Shutterstock