China opposes US blacklisting Chinese companies over alleged forced labor in Xinjiang

BEIJING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- China said Tuesday that it strongly condemns and firmly opposes the recent U.S. move to blacklist 29 Chinese companies under the so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act," and has lodged solemn representations with the United States.

The U.S. move, which has no factual basis, is an act of bullying under the guise of human rights protection and "a typical act of economic coercion," a Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said, adding that China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

The spokesperson said that China firmly opposes forced labor, and there is no such thing as so-called forced labor in Xinjiang.

The U.S. side, without any concrete evidence, has imposed sanctions based on its own domestic law and solely on Chinese companies' purchase of materials or recruitment of employees from Xinjiang, which severely infringes upon the basic human rights of the people in Xinjiang, undermines the legitimate rights and interests of related companies, and disrupts the stability and security of the global supply chain, according to the spokesperson.

"We urge the U.S. side to immediately stop political manipulation, smearing and attacking, and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies," said the spokesperson.

The so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act," which took effect in June 2022, prohibits the entry of Xinjiang goods into the U.S. market in the name of combating "forced labor."