Aerial photo taken on Oct. 17, 2020 shows a cotton harvesting machine working in a field in Manas County, Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Changji, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. File photo: Xinhua

 
The China Enterprise Confederation on Saturday condemned the US' so-called "Uygur forced labor" prevention act saying that it firmly opposes Washington's unilateral trade hegemony blocking products from China's Xinjiang region from entering the international supply chain.

The passing of the so-called "Uygur forced labor" prevention act has seriously damaged the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises. It has also set back the basic rights of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang and harmed the stability of global supply chains and commercial partnerships between a wide range of enterprises, the Confederation said in an announcement on Saturday.

The statement pointed out that Chinese enterprises have always respected and protected workers' rights in religion, ethnic culture and language. In particular, a large number of enterprises have supported industry, employment and poverty alleviation efforts in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which have achieved significant progress in promoting economic development and protecting basic human rights of the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang.

On Thursday local time, the US government signed the so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act" into law. The act maliciously denigrates the human rights situation in  Xinjiang in disregard of facts and truth and seriously violates international law and basic norms governing international relations, and grossly interferes in China's internal affairs. China deplores and firmly rejects this, stated the Foreign Ministry of China on Friday.

The China Enterprise Confederation said it fully supports all necessary countermeasures to be taken by the Chinese government. 

The Confederation also called on Washington to take the voice of Chinese government, business community and Chinese consumers seriously, and to stop using various excuses to harm the legitimate interests of Chinese companies, and correct the wrong legislative and administrative moves as soon as possible.

Global Times