:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/MYTLQWGY2BNZAXHVDRSKKZD3BE.jpg "US Department of Homeland Security Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Entities Over Forced Labor in Xinjiang")
US Imposes New Sanctions on Chinese Entities Linked to Forced Labor in Xinjiang
On Tuesday, the US Department of Homeland Security announced new sanctions against two China-based entities related to forced labor practices in the Xinjiang region, where the Uyghur minority lives. The move is seen as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to holding organizations accountable for human rights abuses and forced labor practices.
The two companies targeted by the sanctions are Camel Group, a lead-acid battery manufacturing company based in Xiangyang city, Hubei province, and Chenguang Biotech Group, based in Handan, Hebei province, which produces plant extracts and food additives, among other products. This announcement brings the total number of sanctioned entities to 24.
The Chinese authorities’ measures in the Xinjiang region have caused tension between China and the international community, particularly the United States. The US has accused Beijing of committing human rights violations and even genocide against the Uighur population. In March, the acting executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW), Tirana Hassan, called for a clear denunciation of the abuses and emphasized the importance of investigations and accountability.
HRW believes that the United Nations should continue its work based on a report presented last year by the then High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet. The report suggested that China could be committing crimes against humanity against the Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities through mass arbitrary detentions and other serious abuses. This report was heavily criticized by the Chinese regime, which managed to block a debate on the issue at the UN Human Rights Council.
Hassan called for pressure from the international community to launch a commission of inquiry into Xinjiang and urged the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, and other senior officials to openly address and denounce the issue. She also voiced disappointment in Guterres’s lack of frankness regarding the alleged Chinese crimes against humanity.
These new sanctions further escalate tensions between China and the US, as the Biden administration continues to take a tough stance on human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The impact of these sanctions on the targeted companies and the overall forced labor situation in the region remains to be seen.