‘This is simply patriotism’, Beijing backs Chinese anger over brand boycott of Xinjiang cotton

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a press conference in Beijing on March 25, 2021, that allegations about human rights violations in China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region are totally based on “lies”. Hua cited allegations about the use of forced labour to produce cotton in the area which prompted a boycott on Xinjiang cotton. The spokeswoman showed reporters a picture depicting slaves working in cotton fields in the US in the past during the press conference. Hua also said the reaction from China’s online community about the cotton boycott was simply “patriotism”, and that it is “quite natural and normal” for Chinese people to feel angry.

Video source: CCTV