US Expands Ban to Five More Chinese Companies Over Uyghur Forced Labor

The United States has expanded its import ban to include five more Chinese companies accused of utilizing forced labor involving Uyghurs. This move brings the total number of banned entities to 73, targeting businesses benefiting from alleged human rights abuses and forced labor practices linked to Beijing's 'poverty alleviation' programs.

The United States has widened its import ban list to include five additional Chinese companies accused of employing forced labor from the Uyghur ethnic group. This decision aims to keep products made with forced labor out of American supply chains.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has added these businesses to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, making it illegal for American companies to engage with a current total of 73 entities. The UFLPA also enforces a broader prohibition on imports partially produced by Uyghur forced labor.

Among the newly listed firms are Rare Earth Magnesium Technology Group Holdings and its parent company, Century Sunshine Group Holdings, both based in Hong Kong. They are accused of using raw materials sourced from the Xinjiang region. Additionally, Kashgar Construction Engineering (Group) Co Ltd, Xinjiang Habahe Ashele Copper Co Ltd, and Xinjiang Tengxiang Magnesium Products Co Ltd are alleged to directly employ Uyghur forced labor.

The DHS stated that these additions reinforce its commitment to eliminating forced labor and holding accountable those involved in alleged genocidal acts against Uyghurs and other minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Effective August 9, 2024, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will assume any goods produced by these companies are made with forced labor, barring their entry into the United States.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas stressed the importance of keeping tainted goods out of national supply chains. The UFLPA, enacted in December 2021, covers a wide range of sectors including apparel, agriculture, and electronics, among others. DHS Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers emphasized the essential role of due diligence for companies in tracing their product origins.

The US government has accused Beijing of committing 'genocide' against Uyghurs and other Muslims in Xinjiang through measures such as sterilization and high-security internment camps. The Campaign for Uyghurs, a Washington-based advocacy group, praised the US for expanding the UFLPA entity list, underscoring the well-documented abuses by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The Chinese government has dismissed the US allegations as baseless. Wang Peng, a research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, called the US actions a tactic to hinder the development of Chinese enterprises.

(With inputs from agencies.)