US bars imports from China footwear, seafood, aluminium firms over Uygur labour
- Dongguan Oasis Shoes, Xinjiang Shenhuo Coal and Electricity and Shandong Meijia have been added to the trade blacklist
The US has added three more companies to a list that bars imports from firms allegedly involved with Uygur forced labour in China, according to a US government notice posted online on Tuesday.
The latest targets include shoe manufacturer Dongguan Oasis Shoes Co, electrolytic aluminium maker Xinjiang Shenhuo Coal and Electricity Co and food processor Shandong Meijia Group Co, also known as Rizhao Meijia Group, the notice from the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
“Through these actions, DHS is increasing its focus on seafood, aluminium, and shoes – sectors that play an important role in Xinjiang’s economy – and ensuring goods made with forced labour are kept out of the US market,” the department said in a separate statement.
Scores of companies have been added to the Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act Entity List, which restricts the import of goods tied to what the US government has characterised as an ongoing genocide of minorities in China’s western Xinjiang region.
US officials say Chinese authorities have established labour camps for Uygurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang. Beijing denies any abuses.