(VOVWORLD) - China strongly opposes the US decision to place sanctions on 29 Chinese firms under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, and has lodged formal objections, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday.
The spokesperson called on the US to stop its political manipulation and smear campaign, and end its unjust suppression of Chinese companies, saying China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights of its businesses.
The spokesperson said China firmly opposes forced labor and affirms that there is no such thing as "forced labor" in Xinjiang.
According to the Chinese spokesperson, the US, without any credible evidence, uses its domestic laws to impose sanctions simply because Chinese companies source materials from Xinjiang region or employ Xinjiang workers. This action gravely infringes on the basic rights of Xinjiang residents, damages the legitimate interests of the companies affected, and disrupts the stability of global supply chains.
The US Department of Homeland Security announced last Friday that it had added 29 Chinese companies and entities to its list of import restrictions for violating the "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act". The ban took effect on Monday. The act was signed into law by the US in 2021. So far, 107 companies have been added to the list.