Joe Biden is serious. His government has long criticized human rights violations in China’s Xinjiang region. Now the US president is following his words with an import ban.
Beijing’s dealings with the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority in the west of the country have been criticized around the world. Activists accuse the Chinese government of serious human rights violations. We are talking about forced labor, internment and. Several countries, including the US, Canada and the Netherlands, have therefore accused China of genocide – allegations that China vehemently denies.
US President Joe Biden is now going one step further. On Thursday, he signed a law banning imports of numerous products from said Xinjiang region. The law provides for a ban on products that have been wholly or partially manufactured there – unless the companies can prove that the products were not made using forced labor, which is considered difficult.
Control of cotton and tomatoes
The new US law requires that imports of three products must be specially controlled: cotton, for which Xinjiang is one of the largest producers in the world; Tomatoes, which are also produced in large quantities in the region; and polysilicon, a material used in the manufacture of solar modules. It is the world’s first import ban of its kind.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the law gives the government “new tools to prevent the importation of forced labor products in Xinjiang and to hold the individuals and organizations behind these abuses accountable.” draw”. He again called on the Chinese government to end “genocide and crimes against humanity”.
The law goes back to an initiative of the US parliament. Last week, the Senate voted unanimously in a rare unity for the import ban. Previously, lobby groups of companies that are heavily dependent on imports from China tried to prevent the vote.
Joe Biden relies on limited cooperation with China
It was noticeable that Biden did not sign the law in front of the camera, like his predecessor Donald Trump with other trade restrictions against China. Instead, his office just posted a photo on Twitter.
Like Trump, Biden sees China as America’s greatest rival worldwide. Unlike the Republican, however, the Democrat does not want to let the thread of the conversation break and relies on limited cooperation, for example in the fight against climate change.
Outrage over Intel’s apology
The law could become a bigger problem for U.S. companies sourcing parts from China – even if they don’t import directly from Xinjiang. For example, the chip manufacturer Intel got caught in the crossfire when it wrote to its suppliers asking them not to purchase any more goods from the provinces.
This led to an outcry on Chinese internet platforms. Intel tried to counter the public outrage with an apology published on the Chinese platform Weibo. In it the US company wrote: “Our original intention was to ensure compliance with US law”. Intel apologizes “for the problems caused by our respected Chinese customers, partners, and the general public.”
The US government criticized this action on Thursday: “We also believe that US companies should never feel the need to apologize for campaigning for basic human rights or fighting against repression,” said Biden’s spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Source From: Stern
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