WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden signed a bill on Thursday aimed at combating human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region.
The law prohibits the importation from Xinjiang and imposes restrictions on those responsible for forced labor in the region. The move marks Washington’s recent attempt to curb the brutality of the Uyghur Muslim minority in China.
Emphasizing widespread support for tackling human rights abuses in the region, the Senate passed the bill unanimously this month following a strong bipartisan vote in the House.
The Chinese ambassador to Washington did not immediately respond to request for comment. Beijing has denied any wrongdoing in the region.
Earlier, Biden officials described the harassment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority members in the region as “widespread, state-sponsored forced labor” and “mass arrests.”
Earlier, Biden’s management warned businesses with supply chains and investment obligations in Xinjiang that they could face legal consequences. It cited growing evidence of genocide and other human rights abuses in the northwestern region of the country.
In July, the Department of State, Treasury, Trade, Homeland Security and Labor, and the U.S. Attorney General’s Office issued a warning to companies connected “or indirectly” to the Chinese government in Xinjiang.
A direct line from the Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory states that “businesses and individuals who do not deviate from Xinjiang’s supply chain, businesses, and / or investments may be at greater risk of violating US law.”
Earlier this month, American chipmaker Intel wrote a letter to its suppliers saying it needed to “ensure that its supply chain does not use any goods or services from the Xinjiang region.”
The letter created a backlash in China, with Intel employing about 10,000 people.
Previously this year Biden also banned 34 Chinese Entities in US, citing severe Human Rights abuse in China, against its minorities.
Intel ended up apologizes to China
On Thursday, Intel apologized in a new Chinese-language statement, saying the decision to ban goods from Xinjiang was needed to comply with US law and not a statement of human rights status.
“We apologize for the inconvenience caused to our esteemed Chinese customers, partners and the community. Intel is committed to being a reliable technology partner and accelerating development in cooperation with China, ”the company wrote.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki did not comment directly on Intel’s apology but said “American companies should never feel the need to apologize for upholding basic human rights or repetitive repression.”
“We urge all industries to ensure that they do not want products that involve forced labor, including forced labor in Xinjiang,” he added.
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Last week, the Department of Trade imposed trade restrictions on 30 Chinese research institutes. The Treasury Department has announced sanctions on eight Chinese technology companies for human rights violations.
The Chinese ambassador to Washington, D.C., has dismissed US claims as “completely baseless.”
“The United States has been making excuses to suppress and contain certain foreign companies and research institutes through measures such as export control,” ambassador Liu Pengyu said in a statement.
Earlier this month, the White House announced the boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing “ongoing killings and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses.”
Governments, civil society organizations and UN officials have previously expressed concern over Beijing’s harsh measures to crack down on critics of the Chinese Communist Party.