An unmanned seeding and lamination machine sows cotton in Kuqa County, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on March 26, 2021. Photo:VCG

The fabricated "forced labor" issue in Xinjiang is totally contrary to the reality on the ground and the accusation is "the lie of the century", Chinese commerce ministry and foreign ministry said on Thursday in separate remarks concerning a US ban on imports of solar panel materials produced in Xinjiang.

Gao Feng, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), told a regular press conference in Beijing that the US once again resorts to its national strength to implement protectionism and hegemony, using the guise of "human rights," which will severely undermine international trade and posing a serious threat to global supply chain security.

The US should immediately redress their actions, or "we will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and institutions," said the MOFCOM spokesperson.

"The Biden administration on Wednesday ordered a ban on US imports of a key solar panel material from Chinese-based Hoshine Silicon Industry Co over forced labor allegations," Reuters reported on Thursday, citing unidentified sources. 

Among the three other firms added to the US trade blacklist were Xinjiang Daqo New Energy Co, Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co and Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Co, according to the Reuters report. 

Also on Thursday, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made a vehement denunciation of  the US' sanctioning measure, which is based on lies and disinformation.

The so-called "forced labor" and "genocide" in Xinjiang is the lie of the century, Zhao said, lambasting the US' abuse of its entity list to crack down on the solar industry in Xinjiang on the basis of lies as a violation of global trade rules and market economic regulations.

The US, under the guise of human rights, appears willing to go to any length to continue a clampdown on the industrial development in Xinjiang, ranging from cotton to the photovoltaic industry and from agriculture to manufacturing, to the detriment of Xinjiang people's right to development. It fully discloses the US' true purpose, which is not to care about facts and the truth, or caring about the Xinjiang people, but aiming to create forced layoffs and poverty, cause chaos in Xinjiang and contain China's overall development, according to Zhao.

The foreign ministry spokesperson warned the US of its own engagement in genocide and forced labor.

"American politicians should reflect on the history of US' genocide of American Indians and African Americans in Tulsa, and think more about how to dissolve their domestic endless racial conflicts and forced labor, among other human rights abuses," Zhao commented.

Likewise, he pledged to take all necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Global Times