China slams U.S. blacklisting of firms over 'forced labor' in Xinjiang

China said on Tuesday that it strongly condemns and firmly opposes the recent U.S. move to blacklist 29 Chinese companies under the "Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act" and has lodged solemn representations with the country.

The U.S. move, which has no factual basis, is an act of bullying under the guise of human rights protection and "a typical act of economic coercion," a Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said, adding that China will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

The spokesperson said that China firmly opposes forced labor, and there is no such thing as forced labor in its Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The U.S. side, without any concrete evidence, has imposed sanctions based on its own domestic law and solely on Chinese companies' purchase of materials or recruitment of employees from Xinjiang, which severely infringes upon the basic human rights of the people in Xinjiang, undermines the legitimate rights and interests of related companies, and disrupts the stability and security of the global supply chain, according to the spokesperson.

"We urge the U.S. side to immediately stop political manipulation, smearing and attacking, and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies," said the spokesperson.

The "Uygur Forced Labor Prevention Act," which took effect in June 2022, prohibits the entry of Xinjiang goods into the U.S. market in the name of combating "forced labor."