US Bans Imports from 30 Chinese Firms

The U.S. government has added 29 Chinese companies to its forced labor blacklist, accusing them of using Uyghur labor in the Xinjiang region. This action falls under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which aims to block imports linked to human rights abuses, bringing the total number of companies on the list to over 100. The newly added companies span various industries, including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and metals, with 23 from the agricultural sector alone. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the U.S. commitment to eradicating forced labor and supporting ethical supply chains, stating that forced labor is a violation of basic human rights. The Biden administration's aggressive enforcement reflects ongoing tensions with China regarding human rights practices in Xinjiang. As the U.S. continues to investigate and expose bad actors, it is also working on implementing new measures to prevent the import of goods produced through forced labor.