US blacklists two China-based firms over Uyghur forced labour concerns

Washington, D.C [US]: The United States has sanctioned two Chinese companies for their labour practices, accusing the firms of deliberately targeting the members of persecuted communities in China.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in a statement that products made by the battery maker Camel Group and the spice and extract manufacturer Chenguang Biotech Group would not be allowed into the nation starting on Wednesday.

“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced new enforcement actions to eliminate the use of forced labour practices in the U.S. supply chain and promote accountability for the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The interagency Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), chaired by DHS, added two People’s Republic of China (PRC)-based companies to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List,” the DHS said on Tuesday.

“Promoting accountability for the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups” in the western Chinese province of Xinjiang is another goal of the sanctions, according to the DHS.

“Today’s enforcement actions demonstrate the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to holding organizations accountable for their egregious human rights abuses and forced labour practices,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas, according to the official release of DHS.

“We will continue to work with all of our partners to keep goods made with forced labour from Xinjiang out of U.S. commerce while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade.”
Notably, the announcement of sanctions brings the total number of entities designated on the UFLPA Entity List to 24 companies now.

One of the many issues causing friction between Beijing and Washington, whose relations have been icy in recent times, is China’s treatment of the Uyghurs, according to Al Jazeera.
Beijing, however, has denied these accusations, claiming that it must maintain its policies towards Uyghurs and other minorities in order to counter “extremism.”

After President Joe Biden signed the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act (UFLPA) into law in December 2021, it became illegal to import goods made in Xinjiang or by companies listed on the UFLPA Entity List into the United States unless the Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can provide clear and convincing proof that the goods were not made using forced labour.

“In addition to today’s announcement, DHS is releasing the 2023 Updates to the Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People’s Republic of China as required by Congress.

The DHS Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans; CBP; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are leading the Department’s efforts to change importers’ behaviour and hold perpetrators accountable for egregious forced labour abuses as outlined in the strategy,” the DHS release added.