China condemns US listing of 3 Chinese entities under Uyghur forced labor law

China's Ministry of Commerce and Foreign Ministry on 29 October condemned the US Department of Homeland Security's addition of 3 Chinese entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act entity list. The documents say the US department announced the move on 28 October US Eastern time. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 7 , 11 ]

In a reply to a reporter's question, published on the Ministry of Commerce website, a ministry spokesperson said China had noted the situation. The spokesperson said there is no forced labor in China, that people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have free and equal employment, and that their labor rights are effectively protected by law. The spokesperson said the US measures have no factual basis and accused the US of continuing to manipulate the human rights issue and of practising unilateral protectionism and bullying under that banner. China strongly condemned and firmly opposed the move, the spokesperson said. [ 2 , 5 , 11 ]

The spokesperson said the US had recently put a large number of Chinese entities on the entity list, that China had lodged serious representations with the US and had resolutely taken countermeasures. According to the spokesperson, the US nevertheless imposed new sanctions and put Chinese biomedical technology companies on a sanctions list. The spokesperson said the listing departs from the consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state, seriously damages the stability of China-US economic and trade relations, and goes against the spirit of humanitarianism. The spokesperson urged the US to stop political manipulation and smears and its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies, and said China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard its own interests. [ 2 , 5 , 11 ]

Later on 29 October, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun (郭嘉昆) answered a question on the listing at a regular press conference. He said the US keeps fabricating lies about Xinjiang and uses so-called forced labor as a pretext to suppress Chinese companies, and that China is strongly dissatisfied and firmly opposed. He called forced labor in Xinjiang a lie fabricated by anti-China elements, aimed at creating chaos in Xinjiang, smearing China and containing its development. He urged the US to stop interfering in China's internal affairs under the cover of human rights, and said China will take necessary measures to firmly protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies. [ 7 , 8 ]

The documents do not name the 3 entities, say what measures China will take, or give a US response. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 7 , 11 ]