US accuses China of 'state-led' community media campaign against firms over Xinjiang
27 March, 2021
The United States on Friday (Mar 26) condemned what it called a "state-led" social media campaign in China against US and other international companies for deciding not to use cotton from China's Xinjiang region over forced labour concerns.
STATE DEPT. spokeswoman Jalina Porter stated the social media campaign and consumer boycotts got targeted American, European and Japanese businesses.
"We commend and stand with firms that abide by UN laws and make certain that products we are consuming aren't made with forced labour," she advised a normal news briefing.
"We support and inspire businesses to respect individual rights based on the UN guiding principles on organization and individual rights and the OECD rules for multinational enterprises," she added.
China rejects allegations of abuses in Xinjiang, which is among the world leading makers of cotton, and describes the camps it has create there as vocational training centers for Uighur Muslims that support combat religious extremism.
Earlier, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki called on the international network to "oppose China's weaponizing of private companies' reliance on its market segments to stifle no cost expression and inhibit ethical organization practices."
A number of overseas retailers possess faced a public backlash from Chinese consumers who've circulated statements from the brands on social media announcing they'll cease sourcing from Xinjiang.
Chinese celebrity endorsers have abandoned more than a few international retail labels, including six US brands such as Nike, as Western concerns over labour conditions on Xinjiang spark a patriotic backlash from consumers.
New Balance, Under Armour, Tommy Hilfiger and Converse, owned by Nike, are among companies which have come under fire in China for statements that they might not use cotton stated in the far-western Chinese region because of suspected forced labour.
The United States and different Western countries have imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for individual rights abuses in Xinjiang, that your United States has said possess amounted to genocide.
In January, Washington announced an import ban on all cotton and tomato products from the spot over allegations they are made out of forced labour from detained Uighur Muslims.
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