Xinjiang Textile Companies Protest US Sanctions on 30 Chinese Cos

Legislators in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang say they will increase support for US-sanctioned enterprises, including via the legal system and overseas promotions, according to a report in the South China Morning Post newspaper.

In a resolution released and taking effect on Monday, the regional legislature denounced US sanctions against Xinjiang enterprises over the alleged use of forced labour, calling for the creation of “a positive social environment” for the growth of those businesses.

“The entire region must immediately take action to support the development of sanctioned enterprises and related industries,” the legislature said in the resolution, which was adopted on August 23. “It is both a just stance and an unshirkable responsibility for all levels of national agencies, people’s organisations, enterprises and institutions, and all ethnic groups in the region to firmly oppose the US’ baseless sanctions against Xinjiang enterprises under the pretext of ‘forced labour’.”

The US Congress passed the Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act in 2021 targeting imports from Xinjiang, to prevent the entry of goods made under such conditions. The act took effect the following June, and has since seen sanctions imposed on dozens of Xinjiang companies and officials accused of being complicit in labour and human rights abuses there.

About two-thirds of Xinjiang’s nearly 26 million people are members of ethnic minorities, including the mostly Muslim Uygur and Kazakh groups.

More than 30 Chinese companies have been hit with US sanctions so far this year. The list includes companies from Xinjiang’s key industries such as cotton and textile clothing, new energy, photovoltaic silicon, and tomato processing. It also includes Chinese companies outside the region.

According to the resolution, judicial authorities in Xinjiang should provide legal support to sanctioned enterprises so they can seek compensation from the US for losses caused, in line with international law and rules. Legislative bodies should speed up enacting relevant laws to support sanctioned businesses and strengthen oversight to ensure effective implementation of policies and create a fair market environment, it added.