Explainer: What you need to know about the latest Chinese firms blacklisted by the US over treatment of Uygurs in Xinjiang
- Newly added Chinese companies are big but not well-known manufacturers
- US accuses blacklisted companies of using Uygurs in forced labour
The latest batch of 11 Chinese companies blacklisted in the US over claimed human rights violations in the treatment of Uygurs in Xinjiang includes a cooperative partner of Google, a clothing maker recently dumped by US retail giant Costco, and a touch-screen provider that is a subsidiary of an Apple supplier.
“Beijing actively promotes the reprehensible practice of forced labour and abusive DNA collection and analysis schemes to repress its citizens,” Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross said.
“This action will ensure that our goods and technologies are not used in the Chinese Communist Party’s despicable offensive against defenceless Muslim minority populations.”
Beijing firmly opposes the sanctions as interference in its internal affairs and an attempt to oppress Chinese companies, and urged the US to “correct its mistakes.”
The additions on Monday involved some big but not well-known manufacturers, which individually generated at least 11.7 billion yuan (US$1.68 billion) of sales and 420 million yuan of profits in 2019.
Blacklisted Chinese companies will face restrictions on purchasing components and technology from US companies.