US blacklists 11 more Chinese firms over treatment of Uygurs in Xinjiang
- Companies added to ‘entity list’ include Changji Esquel Textile, of the Esquel Group, which produces clothing for Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss
- Also blacklisted is Hetian Haolin Hair Accessories, whose products – said to contain human hair from Xinjiang – were seized in the US earlier this month
The US Commerce Department on Monday added 11 Chinese companies implicated in what it called human rights violations in connection with the treatment of Uygurs in Xinjiang to the US economic blacklist.
The department said the companies were involved in using forced labour by Uygurs and other Muslim minority groups. They include numerous textile companies and two firms throse government said were conducting genetic analyses used to further the repression of Uygurs and other Muslim minorities.
Blacklisted firms cannot buy components from US companies without US government approval.
It was the third group of companies and others in China added to the US entity list, after two rounds in which the Trump administration cited 37 companies and others that it said were involved in China’s repression in Xinjiang.
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China sanctions US officials and Congress members in response to Xinjiang ban
“Beijing actively promotes the reprehensible practice of forced labour and abusive DNA collection and analysis schemes to repress its citizens,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement.