China condemns US sanctions on 43 Chinese companies on grounds of "forced labor"

Beijing, Jan 8 (KUNA) -- China expressed its strong condemnation and firm opposition on Saturday to the United States’ imposition of sanctions on 43 Chinese companies on the grounds of “forced labor,” affirming that the U.S. move “has no factual basis.” This was stated in a statement issued by China’s Ministry of Commerce in response to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s announcement yesterday adding 43 Chinese entities to its sanctions list under the “Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act,” which primarily affects the Uyghur minority residing in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.

Xinhua News Agency quoted the statement as saying that Washington continues to arbitrarily impose sanctions on Chinese companies under domestic laws and under the guise of “human rights” and “forced labor,” pointing out that this constitutes “a model of economic coercion.” The statement held that the U.S. action has caused serious harm to the legitimate rights and interests of the concerned companies and has dangerously undermined the stability of global industrial and supply chains.

It noted that the United States took this harmful measure against China’s interests just one day after the two countries held “frank, in-depth, and constructive” virtual talks on how to maintain stability in their economic and trade relations, emphasizing that the U.S. conduct violated the understandings reached by the two heads of state last May. The statement added that Xinjiang enjoys social harmony and stability and economic prosperity, with its people living in security and well-being, and denied the existence of any form of alleged “forced labor.”

It concluded by calling on the U.S. side to stop slandering Xinjiang, to refrain from manipulating forced labor issues, and to cease the unjust suppression of Chinese companies, pledging to take necessary measures to protect China’s legitimate rights and interests. (End) S.L.Q. / N.S.A.