July 15, 2021
2 mins read

US Senate passes bill to ban goods from China’s Xinjiang

The bill has currently received unanimous consent, and has to mandatorily pass the House of Representatives before being sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law…reports Asian Lite News

The US Senate passed a bill on Wednesday to impose a ban on the import of all products from or manufactured in China’s Xinjiang region. The ban will only be waived if importers can prove that the products weren’t made with forced labour, thereby marking the US’ latest effort to punish Beijing for their treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim groups.

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act reportedly needs the US Department of Homeland Security to form a list of entities working with the Chinese government to suppress Uyghurs and other groups. The bill would create a “rebuttable presumption” assuming that all products made in Xinjiang are done with forced labour and thus banned under the 1930 Tariff Act, unless importers can prove otherwise.

The bill has currently received unanimous consent, and has to mandatorily pass the House of Representatives before being sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law. Republication Senator Marco Rubio – who introduced the bill, with Democrat Jeff Merkley, called for fast action on the bill by the House.

“We will not turn a blind eye to the CCP’s ongoing crimes against humanity, and we will not allow corporations a free pass to profit from those horrific abuses,” Rubio said in a statement.

Democrat Merkley, on the other hand, highlighted that no US corporation “should profit from these abuses” and that no US consumers should be “inadvertently purchasing products from slave labour”.

The US administration has consistently criticised Beijing over its actions against ethnic groups, saying they amount to genocide and crimes against humanity. In 2018, UN experts cited that anywhere from tens of thousands to over 1 million Uyghurs have been detained in China, and coerced into taking jobs under a labour-transfer programme. After this, the US put a ban on Xinjiang solar products, tomatoes, and cotton. Besides the US, the European Union (EU), Canada, and the UK have declared sanctions on China for their treatment of ethnic groups. However, China, in retaliation, has called the allegations the “biggest lie of the century,” stating that the country’s policies are to lift it out of poverty, counter-extremism, and uplift the economy.

Last week, the US included 34 new entities to its blacklist, including 14 Chinese ventures with alleged links to human-rights abuses in the Xinjiang area of China. If passed, the latest Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act also brings in the chance of visa and asset-blocking sanctions in connection to Xinjiang to include foreign people and entities.

ALSO READ: US govt repeats warning to China against attack on Philippine forces

Previous Story

SBI UK to present SAJDA FESTIVAL; Vocalist Gayatri Asokan to regale global audience

Next Story

Emirates awaits UAE nod for India flights resumption

Latest from -Top News

Qatar: No Set Deadline for Gaza Talks

A new round of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel resumed on July 6 in Doha amid international efforts to end the conflict that has devastated Gaza…reports Asian Lite News Indirect talks

Trump: ‘Zelenskiy Shouldn’t Target Moscow’

When asked whether the United States would send long-range missiles to Ukraine, Trump replied, “No, we’re not looking to do that.”…reports Asian Lite News US President Donald Trump denied encouraging Ukraine to

India to Aid Ray Home Restoration in Bangladesh

India noted that the property, currently owned by the Government of Bangladesh, “is in a state of disrepair”….reports Asian Lite News The Government of India has expressed deep regret over the ongoing

Sri Lanka, India Deepen Ties

The delegation, including 24 leaders from across 14 political parties of Sri Lanka, began their two-week visit to India on Wednesday….reports Asian Lite News A 24-member Sri Lankan delegation met Foreign Secretary

Jaishankar Flags Pahalgam Attack at SCO Meet

In his address, EAM Jaishankar spotlighted that the meeting is taking place at a time of “considerable disorder” in the international system….reports Asian Lite News Highlighting the dastardly April 22 terrorist attack
Go toTop

Don't Miss

Unease over Xi boosts security linkages within the Indo-Pacific

Xi has built around him a network of advisors who

Telangana organic garments take New York market by storm

The garments are being made under the brand name Green