The United States (US) yesterday banned the import of cotton products produced by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), following information alleging forced labor deployment, the Anadolu Agency reported.
The Department of Homeland Security said Customs and Border Protection (GST) officials at all entrances would block the delivery of XPCC, an economic and semi-military organization that benefits from goods produced by forced labor from the Uighur Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
“The GST trading office issued a Detention Release Order (WRO) on cotton products made by XPCC. The ban is applicable to all cotton and cotton products produced by XPCC and its entities, "the agency said in a statement as quoted by Bernama.
In July, Washington blacklisted the XPCC, for allegedly being involved in Beijing's crackdown on the Muslim-Turkish Uighur community in Xinjiang. Also blacklisted by former XPCC operations officer Sun Jinlong and Chinese government official as well as XPCC commander Peng Jiarui.
However, China has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, according to non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Workers' Rights Consortium, XPCC controls one-third of cotton production in the region and about 6% globally.
"GST action is a great blow to every branded company that intends to supply cotton in Xinjiang province," said the organization's executive director Scott Nova in a statement issued.
According to the AP, the move was implemented by the administration of President Donald Trump after the US Congress considered a law that would declare all goods produced in Xinjiang as forced labor products and banned from being imported into the US.
