China's Commerce Ministry denies US accusation of forced labour in Xinjiang

China's Ministry of Commerce has denied US allegations of forced labour, calling the sanctions "economic coercion" that disrupt global supply chains and harm Chinese companies' rights.

China's Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday that the addition of ‌Chinese companies to a list of entities that the U.S. alleges use forced labour had no factual basis, saying the U.S. actions disrupt the stability ‌of global supply chains. The U.S. has used its domestic laws to impose ‌unilateral sanctions on Chinese companies — a clear act of economic coercion that has harmed the companies' legitimate rights, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement.

China opposes forced labour and ⁠says ​the Xinjiang region — where ⁠the U.S. says the alleged human rights abuses took place — is stable, prosperous and ⁠free of any "forced labour", it said. In the statement, China urged the U.S. ​to stop "attacking and smearing" Xinjiang over this issue and to end unfair pressure ⁠on Chinese companies, warning that Beijing will act to protect the companies' rights.

The U.S. ⁠on ​Friday banned imports from 43 more Chinese companies over alleged human rights abuses of Uyghur and other minority groups. The companies were ⁠added to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, which restricts the ⁠import of goods tied ⁠to what the U.S. says are human rights abuses and ongoing genocide in the Xinjiang region.