Japanese clothing brand Uniqlo risks a backlash in China after Tadashi Yanai, the CEO of its parent company, said in a recent interview that it does not source cotton from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
"Cotton from the Xinjiang region is among the best in the world," said Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, when asked to comment on the matter on Friday. "We hope the relevant company will overcome political pressure and malign disruption, and independently make business decisions that serve its own interests."
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning speaks at a regular press briefing in Beijing, November 29, 2024. /Chinese Foreign Ministry
Social media users in China questioned Yanai's remarks, and some even called for a boycott of the brand.
One user wrote: "If Uniqlo's boss said they chose not to use Xinjiang's cotton, I think that's a disrespectful attitude toward China." Others said they would not purchase anything from the brand.
Screen shot of online users' comments on Uniqlo's CEO's controversial Xinjiang cotton comments on China's social media platform Sina Weibo, November 30, 2024. /CGTN
Some took the question to Uniqlo's official online shopping store on Tmall. The store's online assistants read the message but offered no response.
CGTN has reached out to the public relations department of Uniqlo China, but had not received a response at the time of this report.