Uyghurs Muslims: US bans imports from Chinese firms over forced labor concerns in Xinjiang

The US Department of Homeland Security announced a ban on imports from Chinese steel manufacturer Baowu Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co. Ltd. and artificial sweetener maker Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co. Ltd., citing involvement in forced labor from China’s Xinjiang region.

The move expands US efforts to counter products tied to human rights abuses. The companies’ addition to the entity list under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act marks the first time a China-based steel or aspartame sweetener business has been targeted.

Robert Silvers, Homeland Security Undersecretary for Policy, stated: “Today’s actions reaffirm our commitment to eliminating forced labor from US supply chains and upholding our values of human rights for all. No sector is off-limits. We will continue to identify entities across industries and hold accountable those who seek to profit from exploitation and abuse.”

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The 2021 law followed allegations of Beijing’s human rights abuses against Uyghurs and Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. China refutes these claims, defending its policies as counterterrorism and stability measures.

The US has shifted its trade approach to prioritize national security and human rights. Beijing views this as an economic suppression tactic.

Enforcement initially targeted solar products, tomatoes, cotton, and apparel but has expanded to aluminium, seafood, and other sectors.

Robert Silvers noted: “That’s just a reflection of the fact that sadly, forced labor continues to taint all too many supply chains… Our enforcement net has actually been quite wide from an industry-sector perspective.”

The entity list now includes 75 companies accused of using forced labor in Xinjiang or sourcing related materials.