Soaring EU-Xinjiang trade in textile machinery, tomatoes piles pressure on Brussels to act on alleged forced labour
- German-made exports of machinery parts for Xinjiang’s textiles industry are soaring, despite evidence of forced labour
- Pressure is on the EU to act on forced labour allegations after signing an investment deal with China in December
From the ancient ports of southwest Italy to the industrial heartlands of Germany, European companies are enjoying strong trade with China’s Xinjiang region amid increasing pressure on Brussels to act against allegations of forced labour and other human rights abuses there.
The EU currently has no outright bans or sanctions directly linked with Xinjiang, but it is under pressure to act amid an outpouring of criticism against the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) and as evidence of human rights abuses in Xinjiang continues to mount.
Although the deal says China must progress towards ratifying the forced labour provisions of the International Labour Organization, critics have slammed it for being too weak.
Chinese customs records examined by the South China Morning Post showed that in 2020, trade continued briskly.
Shipments of German-made parts and accessories for textiles machinery in Xinjiang hit a record high of US$41.2 million last year, a staggering 2,763 per cent increase since 2017, when detailed records began.