The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday opposed the U.S. sanctioning three Chinese enterprises on the grounds of so-called "forced labor."

According to reports, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday issued a statement, implementing the so-called "Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act" to place three Chinese enterprises on its "entity list."

In response at a daily press briefing, Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the ministry, said China has stated multiple times that the so-called "forced labor" in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is "completely a lie concocted by anti-China forces to discredit China" and is completely contrary to the fact that the rights and interests of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are effectively protected.

Based on lies, the U.S. expands its scope of suppression of Chinese enterprises, which, in fact, is undermining Xinjiang's prosperity and stability, curbing China's development, and damaging international trade rules and market order, Wang said, adding that China firmly opposes it.

"We urge the U.S. side to immediately stop smearing China and interfering in China's internal affairs under the guise of human rights," he said, adding that China will continue to take resolute measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

(Cover: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)