U.S. Expands Import Ban to Five More Chinese Companies Over Alleged Uyghur Forced Labor

The United States on Thursday intensified its crackdown on goods linked to alleged human rights abuses in China by banning imports from five additional Chinese companies. The U.S. government accuses these companies of involvement in forced labor practices involving the Uyghur minority in China’s Xinjiang region.

Among the targeted companies are Hong Kong-based Rare Earth Magnesium Technology Group Holdings and its parent company, Century Sunshine Group Holdings, both of which produce magnesium fertilizer and magnesium alloy products. Also included in the ban is Xinjiang Habahe Ashele Copper Co, a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Co, which mines nonferrous metals.

The companies were added to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, which aims to eliminate products made with forced labor from the U.S. supply chain. The list now comprises over 70 entities, associated with goods ranging from cotton apparel and automotive parts to vinyl flooring and solar panels.

The U.S. government alleges that Chinese authorities have established labor camps for Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang, where they are subjected to forced labor. China, however, has consistently denied these accusations. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Washington condemned the U.S. actions, labeling the claims of forced labor as “an egregious lie” aimed at destabilizing Xinjiang and curbing China’s development. The spokesperson vowed that China would continue to protect the rights and interests of its companies.