Chinese officials on Friday&nbsp;aired a video of a thin Uighur man with a shaved head, wearing an oversized uniform and speaking directly to the camera.

The video is&nbsp;one of over half a dozen such segments showing Uighurs, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority in the western region, pleading with relatives abroad to come home and stop speaking out against&nbsp;China&nbsp;and the ruling Communist Party.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-sentences-two-uighur-former-officials-to-death-for-separatism-in-xinjiang-375795">China sentences two Uighur former officials to death for 'separatism' in Xinjiang</a>

"I will try my best to change myself and receive the leniency of the party and the government," says the man, Erkin Tursun, a former TV producer who, the officials said, is serving a 20-year sentence in Xinjiang on charges of "inciting ethnic hatred, ethnic discrimination and covering up crimes".

Tursun, almost unrecognisable from photos shared online before his 2018 arrest, is addressing his son, who now lives abroad and has publicly advocated against Tursun's detention, which he says is arbitrary.

Such press conferences have become a staple of Beijing's widening campaign to defend its Xinjiang policies amid mounting Western criticism, including US&nbsp;sanctions and accusations of genocide, as Beijing prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/models-rare-video-highlights-plight-of-uighur-muslims-in-china-318260">Model's rare video highlights plight of Uighur Muslims in China</a>

China&nbsp;for months has increasingly pushed back against global criticism of its Xinjiang policies, including explicit attacks on women who have made claims of abuse.

Last month the United States, the European Union, Britain, and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights abuses in Xinjiang.&nbsp;China&nbsp;retaliated with its own sanctions.

Some big Western brands like H&amp;M, facing boycotts in&nbsp;China&nbsp;over their previous statements on Xinjiang, are struggling to strike a balance between consumers in the world's second-largest economy and public opinion at home.

Beijing's propaganda campaign, which has included 11 media briefings in the capital since December, has repeatedly included efforts to discredit overseas Uighurs who speak to media.

China&nbsp;has also conducted overseas press events, including one this week in Canberra, released state media documentaries and a musical movie, invited diplomats from friendly countries including Iran, Malaysia and Russia to visit Xinjiang, and promoted sympathetic foreign YouTubers and news sites.

It has also targeted individual overseas think tank analysts, journalists and academics with sanctions, amplifying critical social media comments and aggressive state media coverage.

Officials in&nbsp;China's Foreign Ministry and the Xinjiang government say the efforts are necessary to counter "lies and slander" released by a network of "anti-China&nbsp;forces" abroad.

Uighurs living overseas have said videos of relatives, often produced by Chinese state media outlets, are staged.

"The piece is basically pushing a narrative that it is us Uighurs overseas who suddenly abandoned our families, which is laughable," said Australia-based Mamutjan Abdurehim on Twitter in March after a Chinese state broadcaster released footage of his family in Kashgar.

On Friday, Chinese officials shared clips of Mamutjan's daughter, sitting beside her grandparents.

"Daddy, when will you come back? We all miss you," she said.

United Nations experts and researchers estimate over a million people, mostly Uighurs, have been detained in a vast network of camps throughout Xinjiang since 2017.&nbsp;China&nbsp;initially denied the camps existed but has since said they are vocational centres and that all the people who had been there have "graduated".

During Friday's event, officials took aim at databases set up by overseas activists who have documented the names and details of people caught up in&nbsp;China's camp system.

The officials said they had confirmed the identities of 10,708 people listed in the overseas databases but said over 1,300 people on the list were "completely made up," while over 6,000 are living "normal lives."

The officials said 3,244 people listed on one database were serving judicial sentences inside Xinjiang "for crimes of endangering public security in Xinjiang, terrorism and other crimes." They said 238 had died of illnesses and other causes.

Overseas rights groups and some relatives of people detained in Xinjiang say they have not been given details of their relatives' whereabouts or sentences. Xinjiang courts do not make public the vast majority of rulings or case details.

(With input from agencies)

Chinese officials on Friday aired a video of a thin Uighur man with a shaved head, wearing an oversized uniform and speaking directly to the camera. The video is one of over half a dozen such segments showing Uighurs, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority in the western region, pleading with relatives abroad to come home and stop speaking out against China and the ruling Communist Party.

Chinese officials on Friday aired a video of a thin Uighur man with a shaved head, wearing an oversized uniform and speaking directly to the camera. The video is one of over half a dozen such segments showing Uighurs, a mostly Muslim ethnic minority in the western region, pleading with relatives abroad to come home and stop speaking out against China and the ruling Communist Party. Also read| China sentences two Uighur former officials to death for 'separatism' in Xinjiang "I will try my best to change myself and receive the leniency of the party and the government," says the man, Erkin Tursun, a former TV producer who, the officials said, is serving a 20-year sentence in Xinjiang on charges of "inciting ethnic hatred, ethnic discrimination and covering up crimes". Tursun, almost unrecognisable from photos shared online before his 2018 arrest, is addressing his son, who now lives abroad and has publicly advocated against Tursun's detention, which he says is arbitrary. Such press conferences have become a staple of Beijing's widening campaign to defend its Xinjiang policies amid mounting Western criticism, including US sanctions and accusations of genocide, as Beijing prepares to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February. Also read| Model's rare video highlights plight of Uighur Muslims in China China for months has increasingly pushed back against global criticism of its Xinjiang policies, including explicit attacks on women who have made claims of abuse. Last month the United States, the European Union, Britain, and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights abuses in Xinjiang. China retaliated with its own sanctions. Some big Western brands like H&M, facing boycotts in China over their previous statements on Xinjiang, are struggling to strike a balance between consumers in the world's second-largest economy and public opinion at home. Beijing's propaganda campaign, which has included 11 media briefings in the capital since December, has repeatedly included efforts to discredit overseas Uighurs who speak to media. China has also conducted overseas press events, including one this week in Canberra, released state media documentaries and a musical movie, invited diplomats from friendly countries including Iran, Malaysia and Russia to visit Xinjiang, and promoted sympathetic foreign YouTubers and news sites. It has also targeted individual overseas think tank analysts, journalists and academics with sanctions, amplifying critical social media comments and aggressive state media coverage. Officials in China's Foreign Ministry and the Xinjiang government say the efforts are necessary to counter "lies and slander" released by a network of "anti-China forces" abroad. Uighurs living overseas have said videos of relatives, often produced by Chinese state media outlets, are staged. "The piece is basically pushing a narrative that it is us Uighurs overseas who suddenly abandoned our families, which is laughable," said Australia-based Mamutjan Abdurehim on Twitter in March after a Chinese state broadcaster released footage of his family in Kashgar. On Friday, Chinese officials shared clips of Mamutjan's daughter, sitting beside her grandparents. "Daddy, when will you come back? We all miss you," she said. United Nations experts and researchers estimate over a million people, mostly Uighurs, have been detained in a vast network of camps throughout Xinjiang since 2017. China initially denied the camps existed but has since said they are vocational centres and that all the people who had been there have "graduated". During Friday's event, officials took aim at databases set up by overseas activists who have documented the names and details of people caught up in China's camp system. The officials said they had confirmed the identities of 10,708 people listed in the overseas databases but said over 1,300 people on the list were "completely made up," while over 6,000 are living "normal lives." The officials said 3,244 people listed on one database were serving judicial sentences inside Xinjiang "for crimes of endangering public security in Xinjiang, terrorism and other crimes." They said 238 had died of illnesses and other causes. Overseas rights groups and some relatives of people detained in Xinjiang say they have not been given details of their relatives' whereabouts or sentences. Xinjiang courts do not make public the vast majority of rulings or case details. (With input from agencies)

China takes aim at overseas Uighurs, academics criticising Communist Party

Two Uighur former government officials in China's Xinjiang have been handed death sentences for carrying out "separatist activities", as Beijing comes under increasing fire for its actions towards minority groups in the region.

China sentences two Uighur ex-govt officials in Xinjiang to death for 'separatism'

The Chinese government has urged Japan to steer clear of "internal issues” including Hong Kong and Xinjiang as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga prepares to meet US President Joe Biden later this month. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aircraft-carrier-group-exercising-near-taiwan-drills-will-become-regular-china-375583">Also read | Aircraft carrier group exercising near Taiwan, drills will become regular: China</a> 
 
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday had 90-minute telephonic talks with Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP). The exchange was taken place at the request of Beijing, according to the Japanese foreign ministry. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-reports-new-incursion-by-chinas-air-force-into-defence-zone-375512">Also read: Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone</a>

Motegi urged China to halt its illegal intrusions into its territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and address the human rights issues in Xinjiang and the ongoing political situation in Hong Kong.

In a rare move, the Chinese Foreign Ministry put out a two-part statement on the phone call between Wang and Motegi.

One statement criticised US President Biden's recent efforts to coordinate with allies on a joint strategy on China, warning Tokyo to avoid following the US in sanctioning China over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong.

"If under the guise of multilateralism, countries engage in bloc politics or big power confrontations, or even arbitrarily impose unilateral and illegal sanctions on other countries based on false information, the world will regress to the law of the jungle of right and wrong," said Wang.

"The will of certain superpower does not represent the international community; the small number of countries that follow this country do not have the right to monopolise the rules of multilateralism."

In another statement released on the same day by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang repeated his jab at the US, urging Japan to not get "carried away" by countries that were biased against China.

According to SCMP, China's warning comes as Japan has shown signs of taking an increasingly assertive role in the Indo-Pacific region. The tension between China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (SDF) in the East China Sea has escalated in recent months following Tokyo repeatedly voicing concerns over China's new coastguard law.

Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Biden are expected to meet later this month to discuss human rights in China. Suga will be the first foreign leader to meet Biden after taking office as POTUS.

Motegi and Japan Defence Minister will reportedly have discussions with Germany while Suga is in Washington, a move observers have said shows Tokyo is trying to get more powerful nations to recognise Japan's sovereignty in the Diaoyu Islands.

Last month, Japan said China's coastguard had expanded its presence in the contested waters by entering twice a month and as frequently as twice a week near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, known by the Chinese as Diaoyu.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The Chinese government has urged Japan to steer clear of "internal issues” including Hong Kong and Xinjiang as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga prepares to meet US President Joe Biden later this month.

The Chinese government has urged Japan to steer clear of "internal issues” including Hong Kong and Xinjiang as Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga prepares to meet US President Joe Biden later this month. Also read | Aircraft carrier group exercising near Taiwan, drills will become regular: China Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday had 90-minute telephonic talks with Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP). The exchange was taken place at the request of Beijing, according to the Japanese foreign ministry. Also read: Taiwan reports new incursion by China’s Air Force into defence zone Motegi urged China to halt its illegal intrusions into its territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea and address the human rights issues in Xinjiang and the ongoing political situation in Hong Kong. In a rare move, the Chinese Foreign Ministry put out a two-part statement on the phone call between Wang and Motegi. One statement criticised US President Biden's recent efforts to coordinate with allies on a joint strategy on China, warning Tokyo to avoid following the US in sanctioning China over alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. "If under the guise of multilateralism, countries engage in bloc politics or big power confrontations, or even arbitrarily impose unilateral and illegal sanctions on other countries based on false information, the world will regress to the law of the jungle of right and wrong," said Wang. "The will of certain superpower does not represent the international community; the small number of countries that follow this country do not have the right to monopolise the rules of multilateralism." In another statement released on the same day by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang repeated his jab at the US, urging Japan to not get "carried away" by countries that were biased against China. According to SCMP, China's warning comes as Japan has shown signs of taking an increasingly assertive role in the Indo-Pacific region. The tension between China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (SDF) in the East China Sea has escalated in recent months following Tokyo repeatedly voicing concerns over China's new coastguard law. Japan Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and Biden are expected to meet later this month to discuss human rights in China. Suga will be the first foreign leader to meet Biden after taking office as POTUS. Motegi and Japan Defence Minister will reportedly have discussions with Germany while Suga is in Washington, a move observers have said shows Tokyo is trying to get more powerful nations to recognise Japan's sovereignty in the Diaoyu Islands. Last month, Japan said China's coastguard had expanded its presence in the contested waters by entering twice a month and as frequently as twice a week near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands, known by the Chinese as Diaoyu. (With inputs from agencies)

Stay out of Hong Kong, Xinjiang issues: China cautions Japan 

Faced with accusations that it was profiting from the forced labour of Uyghur people in the Chinese territory of Xinjiang, the H&amp;M Group — the world’s second-largest clothing retailer — promised last year to stop buying cotton from the region.

But last month, H&amp;M confronted a new outcry, this time from Chinese consumers who seized on the company’s renouncement of the cotton as an attack on China. Social media filled with angry demands for a boycott, urged on by the government. Global brands like H&amp;M risked alienating a country of 1.4 billion people.

The furore underscored how international clothing brands relying on Chinese materials and factories now face the mother of all conundrums — a conflict vastly more complex than their now-familiar reputational crises over exploitative working conditions in poor countries.

If they fail to purge Xinjiang cotton from their supply chains, the apparel companies invite legal enforcement from Washington under a U.S. ban on imports. Labour activists will charge them with complicity in the grotesque repression of the Uyghurs.

But forsaking Xinjiang cotton entails its troubles — the wrath of Chinese consumers who denounce the attention on the Uyghurs as a Western plot to sabotage China’s development.

The global brands can protect their sales in North America and Europe, or preserve their markets in China. It is increasingly difficult to see how they can do both.

“They are being almost at this point told, ‘Choose the U.S. as your market, or choose China as your market,’” said Nicole Bivens Collinson, a lobbyist who represents major apparel brands at Sandler, Travis &amp; Rosenberg, a law firm in Washington.

In an age of globalization, international apparel brands have grown accustomed to criticism that they are profiting from oppressed workers in countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh, where cheap costs of production reflect alarming safety conditions.

The brands have developed a proven playbook: They announce codes of conduct for their suppliers and hire auditors to ensure at least the appearance of compliance.

But China presents a gravely elevated risk. Xinjiang is not only the source of 85% of China’s cotton but synonymous with a form of repression that the U.S. government has officially termed genocide. As many as 1 million Uyghurs have been herded into detention camps and deployed as forced labour.

The taint of association with Xinjiang is so severe that both the Trump and Biden administrations have sought to prevent Americans from buying clothing produced with the region’s cotton.

For the apparel brands, their dilemma is heightened by the fact that the Chinese government has weaponized China’s consumer market. In fomenting nationalist outrage, Beijing is seeking to pressure the international brands to pick a side — to ignore reports of forced labour or risk their sales in the world’s largest potential consumer market.

Framing this choice is the reality that China remains the world’s central hub for making clothing.

In pursuit of alternatives, many international brands are shifting production from Chinese factories to plants in countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh. But moving does not eliminate their exposure to Xinjiang cotton.

China exports unprocessed cotton to 14 countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and yarn to 190 countries, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee, an international trade association in Washington.

China is the source of nearly half of all cotton fabric exported around the world. Most of that material includes cotton harvested in Xinjiang.

“Supply chains are long and opaque, and the journey from field to shelf involves cotton gins, mills, weaving or knitting, dyeing and finishing — all steps that may take place in different parts of China, or different countries,” said Leonie Barrie, an apparel analyst at GlobalData, a consulting company in London. “Even if a brand had no direct relationship with Chinese factories, they can’t completely rule out any links to Xinjiang’s cotton.”

Long March to Xinjiang

The ubiquity of clothing made with Xinjiang cotton is the result of forces that have shaped the global economy for centuries.

Cotton’s history is intertwined with the barbarity of slavery, given that it is vital to the production of textiles and dependent on large numbers of people to harvest and refine in a gruelling process.

The lucre of cotton prompted plantations in the American South to turn to the African slave trade. In modern times, the cotton trade has frequently drawn accusations of forced labour from human rights groups, most prominently in Uzbekistan.

As China has transformed itself from an impoverished country into the world’s second-largest economy, it has leaned on the textile and apparel industries. China has courted foreign companies with the promise of low-wage workers operating free from the intrusions of unions.

The brands have turned China into an export colossus. They have also invested heavily in selling their products to a growing Chinese consumer class.

Xinjiang, a rugged expanse more than twice the size of Texas, holds China’s largest oil reserves. Its abundant land and sunshine have made it fertile ground for cotton.

The Chinese government has rejected claims of worker abuse in part by claiming that much of Xinjiang’s cotton harvest is now automated. But manual picking remains common in the south of the region, where most Uyghurs live. There, nearly two-thirds of cotton is hand-picked, the regional government said last year.

As human rights groups have focused on the exploitation of the Uyghurs, apparel brands have sought to distance themselves from Xinjiang. Nike, Burberry and PVH, the parent of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, have issued assurances that they have ceased buying cotton from sources in the region while conducting audits of their suppliers.

But supply-chain experts caution that multinational manufacturers frequently game the audit process.

“The key tool it’s used for is rubber-stamping conditions in supply chains, as opposed to trying to deeply figure out what is going on,” said Genevieve LeBaron, an expert on international labour at the University of Sheffield in England.

In Xinjiang, efforts at probing supply chains collide with the reality that the Chinese government severely restricts access. Not even the most diligent apparel company can say with authority that its products are free of elements produced in Xinjiang. And many brands are less than rigorous in their audits.

Major apparel brands have coalesced around the Better Cotton Initiative, an organization based in Geneva and London whose official mission includes improving working conditions for those in the trade.

Last fall, the organization announced a halt to its activities in Xinjiang amid persistent reports of forced labour. But the body’s China branch recently asserted that its investigation in Xinjiang “has never found a single case related to incidents of forced labour,” dating back to 2012, according to a statement reported by Reuters.

That assertion flew in the face of a growing body of literature, including a recent statement from the United Nations Human Rights Council expressing “serious concerns” about reports of forced labour.

The Better Cotton Initiative declined a request for an interview to discuss how it had come to its conclusion.

“We are a not-for-profit organization with a small team,” the initiative’s communications manager, Joe Woodruff, said in an email.

The body’s membership includes some of the world’s largest, most profitable clothing manufacturers and retailers — among them Inditex, the Spanish conglomerate that owns Zara, and Nike, whose sales last year exceeded $37 billion.

Anger Among Consumers

Even as statements about Xinjiang cotton from apparel companies have failed to ease human rights concerns, they have provoked outrage among Chinese consumers.

On Chinese social media, people have posted photos of themselves throwing away their Nike sneakers or — for the less committed — covering the logos on their sweaters with masking tape.

An auto body shop in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, put up a banner barring customers who wore Nike or H&amp;M. A bar in Beijing offered free drinks to customers who wore apparel from domestic brands.

In the southern Chinese city of Xiamen, Polly Cai, 24, said her taste for clothing and shoes from brands like Nike and Uniqlo had been trumped by her disgust for what she viewed as a blow to her country’s dignity.

“Western brands want to take Chinese consumers’ money and still step all over Xinjiang cotton,” she said. “It’s ridiculous.”

The global brands are putting stock in the enduring popularity of their products in China while seeking to avoid further provocation. Inditex removed from its website a statement in which it had promised to avoid Xinjiang cotton.

Yet in muting their condemnation of forced labour in Xinjiang, the brands risk amplifying their problems outside China.

“If they do the right thing, they face serious commercial risk in China,” said Scott Nova, executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, an advocacy organization. “Yet they know consumers globally will be repulsed by a brand that willfully abets forced labour. It is a profound moral test.”

Beyond China

For the apparel brands, the furore over Xinjiang is merely the latest development driving them to move production to other countries.

As labour costs have climbed in China in recent decades, many industries have shifted operations to lower-cost nations like Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh. The Trump administration furthered the trend by pressuring American multinational companies to abandon China.

“All of the economic forces that pushed this production to China are no longer at work,” said Pietra Rivoli, a trade expert at Georgetown University in Washington.

Still, China retains attributes not easily replicated — the world’s largest ports, plus a cluster of related industries, from chemicals to plastics.

Other countries present their human rights concerns. Last year, the European Union revoked duty-free access for garments from Cambodia in response to its government’s harsh crackdown on dissent.

Some global brands are seeking Beijing’s permission to import more cotton into China from the United States and Australia. They could employ that cotton to make products destined for Europe and North America while using the Xinjiang crop for the Chinese market.

Yet that approach may leave the apparel companies exposed to the same risks they face now.

“If the brand is labelled as ‘They are still using forced labour, but they are just using it for the Chinese market,’ is this going to suffice?” said Collinson, the industry lobbyist.

Last week, H&amp;M issued a new communication, beseeching Chinese consumers to return. “We are working together with our colleagues in China to do everything we can to manage the current challenges,” said the statement, which did not mention Xinjiang. “China is a very important market to us.”

Those words appear to have satisfied no one — not the human rights organizations sceptical of claims that apparel companies have severed links to Xinjiang; not Chinese consumers angry over a perceived national indignity.

On Chinese social media, criticism of H&amp;M remained fierce.

“For you, China is still an important market,” one post declared. “But for China, you are just an unnecessary brand.”

Faced with accusations that it was profiting from the forced labour of Uyghur people in the Chinese territory of Xinjiang, the H&M Group — the world’s second-largest clothing retailer — promised last year to stop buying cotton from the region.

Faced with accusations that it was profiting from the forced labour of Uyghur people in the Chinese territory of Xinjiang, the H&M Group — the world’s second-largest clothing retailer — promised last year to stop buying cotton from the region. But last month, H&M confronted a new outcry, this time from Chinese consumers who seized on the company’s renouncement of the cotton as an attack on China. Social media filled with angry demands for a boycott, urged on by the government. Global brands like H&M risked alienating a country of 1.4 billion people. The furore underscored how international clothing brands relying on Chinese materials and factories now face the mother of all conundrums — a conflict vastly more complex than their now-familiar reputational crises over exploitative working conditions in poor countries. If they fail to purge Xinjiang cotton from their supply chains, the apparel companies invite legal enforcement from Washington under a U.S. ban on imports. Labour activists will charge them with complicity in the grotesque repression of the Uyghurs. But forsaking Xinjiang cotton entails its troubles — the wrath of Chinese consumers who denounce the attention on the Uyghurs as a Western plot to sabotage China’s development. The global brands can protect their sales in North America and Europe, or preserve their markets in China. It is increasingly difficult to see how they can do both. “They are being almost at this point told, ‘Choose the U.S. as your market, or choose China as your market,’” said Nicole Bivens Collinson, a lobbyist who represents major apparel brands at Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, a law firm in Washington. In an age of globalization, international apparel brands have grown accustomed to criticism that they are profiting from oppressed workers in countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh, where cheap costs of production reflect alarming safety conditions. The brands have developed a proven playbook: They announce codes of conduct for their suppliers and hire auditors to ensure at least the appearance of compliance. But China presents a gravely elevated risk. Xinjiang is not only the source of 85% of China’s cotton but synonymous with a form of repression that the U.S. government has officially termed genocide. As many as 1 million Uyghurs have been herded into detention camps and deployed as forced labour. The taint of association with Xinjiang is so severe that both the Trump and Biden administrations have sought to prevent Americans from buying clothing produced with the region’s cotton. For the apparel brands, their dilemma is heightened by the fact that the Chinese government has weaponized China’s consumer market. In fomenting nationalist outrage, Beijing is seeking to pressure the international brands to pick a side — to ignore reports of forced labour or risk their sales in the world’s largest potential consumer market. Framing this choice is the reality that China remains the world’s central hub for making clothing. In pursuit of alternatives, many international brands are shifting production from Chinese factories to plants in countries like Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh. But moving does not eliminate their exposure to Xinjiang cotton. China exports unprocessed cotton to 14 countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and yarn to 190 countries, according to the International Cotton Advisory Committee, an international trade association in Washington. China is the source of nearly half of all cotton fabric exported around the world. Most of that material includes cotton harvested in Xinjiang. “Supply chains are long and opaque, and the journey from field to shelf involves cotton gins, mills, weaving or knitting, dyeing and finishing — all steps that may take place in different parts of China, or different countries,” said Leonie Barrie, an apparel analyst at GlobalData, a consulting company in London. “Even if a brand had no direct relationship with Chinese factories, they can’t completely rule out any links to Xinjiang’s cotton.” Long March to Xinjiang The ubiquity of clothing made with Xinjiang cotton is the result of forces that have shaped the global economy for centuries. Cotton’s history is intertwined with the barbarity of slavery, given that it is vital to the production of textiles and dependent on large numbers of people to harvest and refine in a gruelling process. The lucre of cotton prompted plantations in the American South to turn to the African slave trade. In modern times, the cotton trade has frequently drawn accusations of forced labour from human rights groups, most prominently in Uzbekistan. As China has transformed itself from an impoverished country into the world’s second-largest economy, it has leaned on the textile and apparel industries. China has courted foreign companies with the promise of low-wage workers operating free from the intrusions of unions. The brands have turned China into an export colossus. They have also invested heavily in selling their products to a growing Chinese consumer class. Xinjiang, a rugged expanse more than twice the size of Texas, holds China’s largest oil reserves. Its abundant land and sunshine have made it fertile ground for cotton. The Chinese government has rejected claims of worker abuse in part by claiming that much of Xinjiang’s cotton harvest is now automated. But manual picking remains common in the south of the region, where most Uyghurs live. There, nearly two-thirds of cotton is hand-picked, the regional government said last year. As human rights groups have focused on the exploitation of the Uyghurs, apparel brands have sought to distance themselves from Xinjiang. Nike, Burberry and PVH, the parent of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, have issued assurances that they have ceased buying cotton from sources in the region while conducting audits of their suppliers. But supply-chain experts caution that multinational manufacturers frequently game the audit process. “The key tool it’s used for is rubber-stamping conditions in supply chains, as opposed to trying to deeply figure out what is going on,” said Genevieve LeBaron, an expert on international labour at the University of Sheffield in England. In Xinjiang, efforts at probing supply chains collide with the reality that the Chinese government severely restricts access. Not even the most diligent apparel company can say with authority that its products are free of elements produced in Xinjiang. And many brands are less than rigorous in their audits. Major apparel brands have coalesced around the Better Cotton Initiative, an organization based in Geneva and London whose official mission includes improving working conditions for those in the trade. Last fall, the organization announced a halt to its activities in Xinjiang amid persistent reports of forced labour. But the body’s China branch recently asserted that its investigation in Xinjiang “has never found a single case related to incidents of forced labour,” dating back to 2012, according to a statement reported by Reuters. That assertion flew in the face of a growing body of literature, including a recent statement from the United Nations Human Rights Council expressing “serious concerns” about reports of forced labour. The Better Cotton Initiative declined a request for an interview to discuss how it had come to its conclusion. “We are a not-for-profit organization with a small team,” the initiative’s communications manager, Joe Woodruff, said in an email. The body’s membership includes some of the world’s largest, most profitable clothing manufacturers and retailers — among them Inditex, the Spanish conglomerate that owns Zara, and Nike, whose sales last year exceeded $37 billion. Anger Among Consumers Even as statements about Xinjiang cotton from apparel companies have failed to ease human rights concerns, they have provoked outrage among Chinese consumers. On Chinese social media, people have posted photos of themselves throwing away their Nike sneakers or — for the less committed — covering the logos on their sweaters with masking tape. An auto body shop in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, put up a banner barring customers who wore Nike or H&M. A bar in Beijing offered free drinks to customers who wore apparel from domestic brands. In the southern Chinese city of Xiamen, Polly Cai, 24, said her taste for clothing and shoes from brands like Nike and Uniqlo had been trumped by her disgust for what she viewed as a blow to her country’s dignity. “Western brands want to take Chinese consumers’ money and still step all over Xinjiang cotton,” she said. “It’s ridiculous.” The global brands are putting stock in the enduring popularity of their products in China while seeking to avoid further provocation. Inditex removed from its website a statement in which it had promised to avoid Xinjiang cotton. Yet in muting their condemnation of forced labour in Xinjiang, the brands risk amplifying their problems outside China. “If they do the right thing, they face serious commercial risk in China,” said Scott Nova, executive director of the Worker Rights Consortium, an advocacy organization. “Yet they know consumers globally will be repulsed by a brand that willfully abets forced labour. It is a profound moral test.” Beyond China For the apparel brands, the furore over Xinjiang is merely the latest development driving them to move production to other countries. As labour costs have climbed in China in recent decades, many industries have shifted operations to lower-cost nations like Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh. The Trump administration furthered the trend by pressuring American multinational companies to abandon China. “All of the economic forces that pushed this production to China are no longer at work,” said Pietra Rivoli, a trade expert at Georgetown University in Washington. Still, China retains attributes not easily replicated — the world’s largest ports, plus a cluster of related industries, from chemicals to plastics. Other countries present their human rights concerns. Last year, the European Union revoked duty-free access for garments from Cambodia in response to its government’s harsh crackdown on dissent. Some global brands are seeking Beijing’s permission to import more cotton into China from the United States and Australia. They could employ that cotton to make products destined for Europe and North America while using the Xinjiang crop for the Chinese market. Yet that approach may leave the apparel companies exposed to the same risks they face now. “If the brand is labelled as ‘They are still using forced labour, but they are just using it for the Chinese market,’ is this going to suffice?” said Collinson, the industry lobbyist. Last week, H&M issued a new communication, beseeching Chinese consumers to return. “We are working together with our colleagues in China to do everything we can to manage the current challenges,” said the statement, which did not mention Xinjiang. “China is a very important market to us.” Those words appear to have satisfied no one — not the human rights organizations sceptical of claims that apparel companies have severed links to Xinjiang; not Chinese consumers angry over a perceived national indignity. On Chinese social media, criticism of H&M remained fierce. “For you, China is still an important market,” one post declared. “But for China, you are just an unnecessary brand.”

Global brands find it hard to untangle themselves from Xinjiang cotton

A new state-produced musical set in Xinjiang&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;by Hollywood blockbuster "La La&nbsp;Land" has hit China's cinemas, portraying a rural idyll of ethnic cohesion devoid of repression, mass surveillance and even the Islam of its majority Uyghur population.

China is on an elaborate PR offensive to rebrand the northwestern region where the United States says "genocide" has been inflicted on the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.

As allegations of slavery and forced labour inside Xinjiang's cotton industry draw renewed global attention, inside China, Beijing is curating a very different narrative for the troubled region.

Rap songs, photo exhibitions and a musical — "The Wings of Songs" — are leading the cultural reframing of the region, while&nbsp;a legion of celebrities have seemingly unprompted leapt to the defence of Xinjiang's tarnished textile industry.&nbsp;

Beijing denies all allegations of abuses and has instead recast Xinjiang as a haven of social cohesion and economic renewal that has turned its back on years of violent extremism thanks to benevolent state intervention.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-xinjiang-cotton-politics-dominates-china-fashion-week-375064">Watch |</a>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-xinjiang-cotton-politics-dominates-china-fashion-week-375064/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The movie, whose release was reportedly delayed by a year, focuses on three men from different ethnic groups dreaming of the big time as they gather musical inspiration across cultures in the snow-capped mountains and desertscapes of the vast region.

Trailing the movie, state-run Global Times reported that overseas blockbusters such as "La La&nbsp;Land" have "inspired&nbsp;Chinese studios" to produce their own domestic hits.

But the musical omits the surveillance cameras and security checks that blanket Xinjiang.

Also noticeably absent are references to Islam — despite more than half of the population of Xinjiang being Muslim -- and there are no mosques or women in veils.

In one scene, a leading character, a well-shaven Uyghur, toasts with a beer in his hand.

At least one million Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in Xinjiang, according to right groups, where authorities are also accused of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour.

That has enraged Beijing, which at first denied the existence of the camps and then defended them as training programmes.

Reality check

Last month, China swiftly closed down the Clubhouse app, an audio platform where uncensored discussions briefly flowered including on Xinjiang, with Uyghurs giving unvarnished accounts of life to attentive Han Chinese guests.

The current PR push on Xinjiang aims at controlling the narrative for internal consumption, says Larry Ong, of US-based consultancy SinoInsider.

Beijing "knows that a lie repeated a thousand times becomes truth", he said.

To many Chinese, that messaging appears to be working.

"I have been to Xinjiang and the film is very realistic," one moviegoer told AFP after seeing "The Wings of Songs" in Beijing.

"People are happy, free and open," he said, declining to give his name.

Last week, celebrities, tech brands and state media — whipped up by outrage on China's tightly controlled social media — piled in on several global fashion brands who have raised concerns over forced labour and refused to source cotton from Xinjiang.

Sweden's H&amp;M was the worst-hit and on Wednesday attempted to limit the damage in its fourth-largest market.

The clothing giant issued a statement saying it wanted to regain the trust of people in China, but the message was greeted with scorn on the Twitter-like Weibo platform, where 35 million people shared the fashion chain's comments.

The pushback has taken on a pop culture edge, with a rap released this week castigating "lies" by the "Western settlers" about cotton from the region, while state broadcaster CGTN is set to release a documentary on the unrest that prompted the Beijing crackdown.

It is impossible to gain unfettered access to Xinjiang, with foreign media shadowed by authorities on visits and then harassed for their reporting.

This week, BBC journalist John Sudworth hurriedly left China for Taiwan, alleging "intimidation" after reporting on conditions in the cotton farms of Xinjiang.

A new state-produced musical set in Xinjiang inspired by Hollywood blockbuster "La La Land" has hit China's cinemas, portraying a rural idyll of ethnic cohesion devoid of repression, mass surveillance and even the Islam of its majority Uyghur population.

A new state-produced musical set in Xinjiang inspired by Hollywood blockbuster "La La Land" has hit China's cinemas, portraying a rural idyll of ethnic cohesion devoid of repression, mass surveillance and even the Islam of its majority Uyghur population. China is on an elaborate PR offensive to rebrand the northwestern region where the United States says "genocide" has been inflicted on the Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. As allegations of slavery and forced labour inside Xinjiang's cotton industry draw renewed global attention, inside China, Beijing is curating a very different narrative for the troubled region. Rap songs, photo exhibitions and a musical — "The Wings of Songs" — are leading the cultural reframing of the region, while a legion of celebrities have seemingly unprompted leapt to the defence of Xinjiang's tarnished textile industry. Beijing denies all allegations of abuses and has instead recast Xinjiang as a haven of social cohesion and economic renewal that has turned its back on years of violent extremism thanks to benevolent state intervention. Watch | The movie, whose release was reportedly delayed by a year, focuses on three men from different ethnic groups dreaming of the big time as they gather musical inspiration across cultures in the snow-capped mountains and desertscapes of the vast region. Trailing the movie, state-run Global Times reported that overseas blockbusters such as "La La Land" have "inspired Chinese studios" to produce their own domestic hits. But the musical omits the surveillance cameras and security checks that blanket Xinjiang. Also noticeably absent are references to Islam — despite more than half of the population of Xinjiang being Muslim -- and there are no mosques or women in veils. In one scene, a leading character, a well-shaven Uyghur, toasts with a beer in his hand. At least one million Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in Xinjiang, according to right groups, where authorities are also accused of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour. That has enraged Beijing, which at first denied the existence of the camps and then defended them as training programmes. Reality check Last month, China swiftly closed down the Clubhouse app, an audio platform where uncensored discussions briefly flowered including on Xinjiang, with Uyghurs giving unvarnished accounts of life to attentive Han Chinese guests. The current PR push on Xinjiang aims at controlling the narrative for internal consumption, says Larry Ong, of US-based consultancy SinoInsider. Beijing "knows that a lie repeated a thousand times becomes truth", he said. To many Chinese, that messaging appears to be working. "I have been to Xinjiang and the film is very realistic," one moviegoer told AFP after seeing "The Wings of Songs" in Beijing. "People are happy, free and open," he said, declining to give his name. Last week, celebrities, tech brands and state media — whipped up by outrage on China's tightly controlled social media — piled in on several global fashion brands who have raised concerns over forced labour and refused to source cotton from Xinjiang. Sweden's H&M was the worst-hit and on Wednesday attempted to limit the damage in its fourth-largest market. The clothing giant issued a statement saying it wanted to regain the trust of people in China, but the message was greeted with scorn on the Twitter-like Weibo platform, where 35 million people shared the fashion chain's comments. The pushback has taken on a pop culture edge, with a rap released this week castigating "lies" by the "Western settlers" about cotton from the region, while state broadcaster CGTN is set to release a documentary on the unrest that prompted the Beijing crackdown. It is impossible to gain unfettered access to Xinjiang, with foreign media shadowed by authorities on visits and then harassed for their reporting. This week, BBC journalist John Sudworth hurriedly left China for Taiwan, alleging "intimidation" after reporting on conditions in the cotton farms of Xinjiang.

Xinjiang the musical sings to Beijing's tune of ethnic unity

ASICS, the Australian team's Japanese Olympic kit supplier has been accused of sourcing Chinese forced labour cotton, an allegation that it vehemently denies. It says that none of the cottons for the Aussies has come from Xinjiang.

Australia: ASICS denies reports of using cotton from Xinjiang in Olympic uniforms

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a CBC interview broadcast on Sunday that the UN held "serious talks" with China for unbridled access to the Xinjiang region to verify that Muslim Uighurs were being persecuted.

UN Chief Antonio Guterres demands Xinjiang region's access from China

Chinese officials have asked Sweden's H&amp;M and other foreign companies facing a backlash in the country after raising concerns about forced labour in Xinjiang to look into the issue seriously and not politicise their economic behaviour.

H&amp;M, Burberry, Nike and Adidas and other western brands have been hit by consumer boycotts in China since last week over comments about their sourcing of cotton in Xinjiang.&nbsp;

The growing rift comes as the United States and other Western governments increase pressure on China over suspected human rights abuses in the western region.

China has repeatedly denied all such charges and say the camps are for vocational training and combating religious extremism.

Chinese social media users last week began circulating a 2020 statement by H&amp;M announcing it would no longer source cotton from Xinjiang.

H&amp;M said at the time the decision was due to difficulties conducting credible due diligence in the region and after media and human rights' groups reported the use of forced labour in Xinjiang.

A spokesman for the regional government of Xinjiang told reporters Monday that a company should not politicise its economic behaviour and said H&amp;M won't be able to make money anymore in the Chinese market because of its statement.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/washington-condemns-chinas-baseless-sanctions-against-us-officials-over-xinjiang-373792">Also read |&nbsp;Washington condemns China's 'baseless sanctions' against US officials over Xinjiang</a>

Another Xinjiang government spokesman said during the briefing that Chinese people do not want the products of companies such as H&amp;M and Nike that have boycotted Xinjiang's cotton. He invited companies to take trips to the region's cotton fields to see for themselves what is happening.

Washington on Friday condemned what it called a "state-led" social media campaign in China against US and other international companies for committing not to use cotton from Xinjiang.

The wave of consumer boycotts in China has coincided with a coordinated set of sanctions imposed by Britain, Canada, the European Union and the United States last week over what they say are human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang.&nbsp;

Also, the US government has publically accused Beijing of genocide against the Uighur Muslim ethnic minorities in the region.

The United States in January announced an import ban on all cotton and tomato products from the area due to allegations of forced labour from detained Uighur Muslims.

Chinese officials have asked Sweden's H&M and other foreign companies facing a backlash in the country after raising concerns about forced labour in Xinjiang to look into the issue seriously and not politicise their economic behaviour.

Chinese officials have asked Sweden's H&M and other foreign companies facing a backlash in the country after raising concerns about forced labour in Xinjiang to look into the issue seriously and not politicise their economic behaviour. H&M, Burberry, Nike and Adidas and other western brands have been hit by consumer boycotts in China since last week over comments about their sourcing of cotton in Xinjiang. The growing rift comes as the United States and other Western governments increase pressure on China over suspected human rights abuses in the western region. China has repeatedly denied all such charges and say the camps are for vocational training and combating religious extremism. Chinese social media users last week began circulating a 2020 statement by H&M announcing it would no longer source cotton from Xinjiang. H&M said at the time the decision was due to difficulties conducting credible due diligence in the region and after media and human rights' groups reported the use of forced labour in Xinjiang. A spokesman for the regional government of Xinjiang told reporters Monday that a company should not politicise its economic behaviour and said H&M won't be able to make money anymore in the Chinese market because of its statement. Also read | Washington condemns China's 'baseless sanctions' against US officials over Xinjiang Another Xinjiang government spokesman said during the briefing that Chinese people do not want the products of companies such as H&M and Nike that have boycotted Xinjiang's cotton. He invited companies to take trips to the region's cotton fields to see for themselves what is happening. Washington on Friday condemned what it called a "state-led" social media campaign in China against US and other international companies for committing not to use cotton from Xinjiang. The wave of consumer boycotts in China has coincided with a coordinated set of sanctions imposed by Britain, Canada, the European Union and the United States last week over what they say are human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang. Also, the US government has publically accused Beijing of genocide against the Uighur Muslim ethnic minorities in the region. The United States in January announced an import ban on all cotton and tomato products from the area due to allegations of forced labour from detained Uighur Muslims.

China warns companies against politicising actions regarding Xinjiang

Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei Technologies Co has suspended downloads of sportswear brands Nike and Adidas from its app store amid the Xinjiang cotton controversy.

Anger with Nike Inc and Adidas erupted on Chinese social media late on Wednesday after China's netizens spotted a statement from the former&nbsp;saying it was "concerned" about reports of forced labour in Xinjiang and that it does not use cotton from the region.

Topics around the Nike statement were among the highest trending on China's Twitter-like social media Weibo on Thursday, and the social media backlash had a wider fallout.

Since then, although the Chinese government has not singled out any particular company, a nationwide consumer boycott against foreign brands -- including H&amp;M, Nike, Adidas and Burberry -- has swept the country.

To this end, on Monday morning, Nike and Adidas apps on Huawei’s app store were not available to download.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-nike-faces-social-media-storm-in-china-over-xinjiang-statement-372985">Also read |&nbsp;Nike faces social media storm in China over Xinjiang statement</a>

As of Monday, however, the brands could still be found on major Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Taobao, JD.com and Pinduoduo. And consumer demand continued to be on the higher side.

The brands’ social media accounts are still accessible, along with the Chinese version of its website.

Swedish retailer H&amp;M was one of the hardest-hit brands in the Xinjiang boycott. A number of major Chinese tech firms have erased the clothing company’s virtual presence from their platforms.

The social media fallout comes as relations between the United States and China have deteriorated in recent years.

In the latest development, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada on Monday imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. China retaliated with sanctions on European lawmakers and institutions.

(with inputs)

Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei Technologies Co has suspended downloads of sportswear brands Nike and Adidas from its app store amid the Xinjiang cotton controversy.

Chinese telecommunication giant Huawei Technologies Co has suspended downloads of sportswear brands Nike and Adidas from its app store amid the Xinjiang cotton controversy. Anger with Nike Inc and Adidas erupted on Chinese social media late on Wednesday after China's netizens spotted a statement from the former saying it was "concerned" about reports of forced labour in Xinjiang and that it does not use cotton from the region. Topics around the Nike statement were among the highest trending on China's Twitter-like social media Weibo on Thursday, and the social media backlash had a wider fallout. Since then, although the Chinese government has not singled out any particular company, a nationwide consumer boycott against foreign brands -- including H&M, Nike, Adidas and Burberry -- has swept the country. To this end, on Monday morning, Nike and Adidas apps on Huawei’s app store were not available to download. Also read | Nike faces social media storm in China over Xinjiang statement As of Monday, however, the brands could still be found on major Chinese e-commerce platforms such as Taobao, JD.com and Pinduoduo. And consumer demand continued to be on the higher side. The brands’ social media accounts are still accessible, along with the Chinese version of its website. Swedish retailer H&M was one of the hardest-hit brands in the Xinjiang boycott. A number of major Chinese tech firms have erased the clothing company’s virtual presence from their platforms. The social media fallout comes as relations between the United States and China have deteriorated in recent years. In the latest development, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada on Monday imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang. China retaliated with sanctions on European lawmakers and institutions. (with inputs)

Huawei removes Nike and Adidas from its app store amid Xinjiang row

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday&nbsp;that the UN was in negotiation with China for a visit "without restrictions" to Xinjiang in order to see how Uyghur Muslims were being treated. He declared this in an interview broadcast.

At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in the northwestern region, according to US and Australian rights groups, which accuse Chinese authorities of forcibly sterilizing women and imposing forced labor.

"A serious negotiation is at the present moment taking place between the Office of the (UN Human Rights) Commissioner and the Chinese authorities," Guterres told Canada's CBC television network.

"I hope that they will reach an agreement soon" to allow a visit "without restrictions or limitations," he added.

Guterres said the Chinese had repeatedly affirmed to him "that they want that mission to take place."

Guterres said he was also following "with concern" the fate of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who are being held prisoner in China on charges of espionage.

(With AFP inputs)

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that the UN was in negotiation with China for a visit "without restrictions" to Xinjiang in order to see how Uyghur Muslims were being treated.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that the UN was in negotiation with China for a visit "without restrictions" to Xinjiang in order to see how Uyghur Muslims were being treated. He declared this in an interview broadcast. At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in the northwestern region, according to US and Australian rights groups, which accuse Chinese authorities of forcibly sterilizing women and imposing forced labor. "A serious negotiation is at the present moment taking place between the Office of the (UN Human Rights) Commissioner and the Chinese authorities," Guterres told Canada's CBC television network. "I hope that they will reach an agreement soon" to allow a visit "without restrictions or limitations," he added. Guterres said the Chinese had repeatedly affirmed to him "that they want that mission to take place." Guterres said he was also following "with concern" the fate of two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who are being held prisoner in China on charges of espionage. (With AFP inputs)

UN negotiating with China for unrestricted Xinjiang visit: Secretary General

The United States has warned China that its tit-for-tat sanctions against two Americans in the growing dispute over Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs were "baseless" and would only shine a harsh spotlight on the "genocide" in Xinjiang.

"Beijing's attempts to intimidate and silence those speaking out for human rights and fundamental freedoms only contribute to the growing international scrutiny of the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Saturday.

He spoke out after China announced sanctions against two Americans, a Canadian and a rights advocacy body, in response to sanctions imposed this week by the two countries over Beijing's treatment of the Uyghur minority.

Blinken called these sanctions "baseless."

At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in China's Xinjiang region, according to rights groups, who accuse authorities of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour.

The European Union, Britain, Canada and the United States, to this end, have sanctioned several members of Xinjiang's political and economic hierarchy in coordinated action over the allegations, prompting retaliation from Beijing in the form of sanctions on individuals from the EU and Britain.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-accuses-china-of-state-led-social-media-campaign-against-companies-that-boycotted-xinjiang-373554">Also read |&nbsp;US accuses China of 'state-led' social media campaign against companies that boycotted Xinjiang</a>

"We stand in solidarity with Canada, the UK, the EU, and other partners and allies around the world in calling on the PRC to end the human rights violations and abuses against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang and to release those arbitrarily detained," Blinken said.

Earlier on Saturday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said these sanctions were unacceptable and vowed to continue to defend human rights.

"We will continue to defend human rights around the world with our international partners," Trudeau said on Twitter.

China sanctioned Canadian opposition lawmaker Michael Chong, vice-chair of parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), as well as the FAAE's Subcommittee on International Human Rights, which has eight members and this month presented a report concluding that atrocities had been committed in Xinjiang that constitute crimes against humanity and genocide.

Beijing also said it will take measures against the chair and vice-chair of the US government's advisory Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Gayle Manchin and Tony Perkins, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The Chinese government is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and urges the relevant parties to clearly understand the situation and redress their mistakes," the ministry said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-hits-two-chinese-officials-with-sanctions-over-uighur-abuses-372382">Also read |&nbsp;US hits two Chinese officials with sanctions over Uighur abuses</a>

"They must stop political manipulation on Xinjiang-related issues, stop interfering in China's internal affairs in any form and refrain from going farther down the wrong path. Otherwise they will get their fingers burnt."

The individuals are banned from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, the ministry said, and Chinese citizens and institutions are prohibited from doing business with the three individuals or having any exchanges with the subcommittee.

China has repeatedly denied all accusations of abuse and says its camps offer vocational training and are needed to fight extremism.

Beijing's previous sanctions on US individuals whom it says have seriously undermined China's sovereignty and interests on Xinjiang-related issues remain in effect.

(with inputs)

The United States has warned China that its tit-for-tat sanctions against two Americans in the growing dispute over Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs were "baseless" and would only shine a harsh spotlight on the "genocide" in Xinjiang.

The United States has warned China that its tit-for-tat sanctions against two Americans in the growing dispute over Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs were "baseless" and would only shine a harsh spotlight on the "genocide" in Xinjiang. "Beijing's attempts to intimidate and silence those speaking out for human rights and fundamental freedoms only contribute to the growing international scrutiny of the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Saturday. He spoke out after China announced sanctions against two Americans, a Canadian and a rights advocacy body, in response to sanctions imposed this week by the two countries over Beijing's treatment of the Uyghur minority. Blinken called these sanctions "baseless." At least one million Uyghurs and people from other mostly Muslim groups have been held in camps in China's Xinjiang region, according to rights groups, who accuse authorities of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour. The European Union, Britain, Canada and the United States, to this end, have sanctioned several members of Xinjiang's political and economic hierarchy in coordinated action over the allegations, prompting retaliation from Beijing in the form of sanctions on individuals from the EU and Britain. Also read | US accuses China of 'state-led' social media campaign against companies that boycotted Xinjiang "We stand in solidarity with Canada, the UK, the EU, and other partners and allies around the world in calling on the PRC to end the human rights violations and abuses against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang and to release those arbitrarily detained," Blinken said. Earlier on Saturday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said these sanctions were unacceptable and vowed to continue to defend human rights. "We will continue to defend human rights around the world with our international partners," Trudeau said on Twitter. China sanctioned Canadian opposition lawmaker Michael Chong, vice-chair of parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), as well as the FAAE's Subcommittee on International Human Rights, which has eight members and this month presented a report concluding that atrocities had been committed in Xinjiang that constitute crimes against humanity and genocide. Beijing also said it will take measures against the chair and vice-chair of the US government's advisory Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), Gayle Manchin and Tony Perkins, the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The Chinese government is firmly determined to safeguard its national sovereignty, security and development interests, and urges the relevant parties to clearly understand the situation and redress their mistakes," the ministry said. Also read | US hits two Chinese officials with sanctions over Uighur abuses "They must stop political manipulation on Xinjiang-related issues, stop interfering in China's internal affairs in any form and refrain from going farther down the wrong path. Otherwise they will get their fingers burnt." The individuals are banned from entering the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macau, the ministry said, and Chinese citizens and institutions are prohibited from doing business with the three individuals or having any exchanges with the subcommittee. China has repeatedly denied all accusations of abuse and says its camps offer vocational training and are needed to fight extremism. Beijing's previous sanctions on US individuals whom it says have seriously undermined China's sovereignty and interests on Xinjiang-related issues remain in effect. (with inputs)

Washington condemns China's 'baseless sanctions' against US officials over Xinjiang

The United States on Friday accused China of undertaking a “state-led” social media campaign against companies for deciding against using cotton from China’s Xinjiang region over concerns of forced labour.

Jalina Porter, the State Department spokeswoman said that the social media campaign and consumer boycotts were targeting American, European, and Japanese businesses.

"We commend and stand with companies that adhere to US laws and ensure that products we are consuming are not made with forced labor," Porter said during a briefing.&nbsp;“We support and encourage businesses to respect human rights in line with the UN guiding principles on business and human rights and the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises," she added.

Xinjiang is one of the world’s leading producers of cotton, but China has been accused of committing “genocide” against Uighur Muslims in the region and forcing people to work.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/china-imposes-sanctions-on-uk-individuals-over-xinjiang-373263" hreflang="en">China imposes sanctions on UK individuals over Xinjiang</a>

China has denied all such claims, claiming they have set up vocational training centres for Uighur Muslims to counter religious extremism.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki had earlier urged the international community to "oppose China's weaponizing of private companies' dependence on its markets to stifle free expression and inhibit ethical business practices”.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/which-foreign-brands-are-feeding-chinas-slave-camps-in-xinjiang-373186" hreflang="en">Which foreign brands are feeding China's slave camps in Xinjiang</a>

Many international companies have put out statements claiming they no longer intend to use cotton coming from Xinjiang. Chinese consumers have responded to these moves strongly. Many celebrities in the country have ceased deals with brands like Nike and other US brands, including New Balance, Under Armour, Tommy Hilfiger, and Converse.&nbsp;

Multiple countries have recently imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for alleged human rights abuses in the region.

The United States on Friday accused China of undertaking a “state-led” social media campaign against companies for deciding against using cotton from China’s Xinjiang region over concerns of forced labour.

The United States on Friday accused China of undertaking a “state-led” social media campaign against companies for deciding against using cotton from China’s Xinjiang region over concerns of forced labour. Jalina Porter, the State Department spokeswoman said that the social media campaign and consumer boycotts were targeting American, European, and Japanese businesses. "We commend and stand with companies that adhere to US laws and ensure that products we are consuming are not made with forced labor," Porter said during a briefing. “We support and encourage businesses to respect human rights in line with the UN guiding principles on business and human rights and the OECD guidelines for multinational enterprises," she added. Xinjiang is one of the world’s leading producers of cotton, but China has been accused of committing “genocide” against Uighur Muslims in the region and forcing people to work. Also read: China imposes sanctions on UK individuals over Xinjiang China has denied all such claims, claiming they have set up vocational training centres for Uighur Muslims to counter religious extremism. White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki had earlier urged the international community to "oppose China's weaponizing of private companies' dependence on its markets to stifle free expression and inhibit ethical business practices”. Also read: Which foreign brands are feeding China's slave camps in Xinjiang Many international companies have put out statements claiming they no longer intend to use cotton coming from Xinjiang. Chinese consumers have responded to these moves strongly. Many celebrities in the country have ceased deals with brands like Nike and other US brands, including New Balance, Under Armour, Tommy Hilfiger, and Converse. Multiple countries have recently imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for alleged human rights abuses in the region.

US accuses China of 'state-led' social media campaign against companies that boycotted Xinjiang

Several brands have come under attack on Chinese social media over the past comments they&nbsp;have made about labour conditions in Xinjiang, part of a diplomatic row between China and the West.

Nike and&nbsp;Adidas&nbsp;were the latest caught up in a backlash prompted by a Chinese government call to stop foreign brands from tainting China's name as internet users found statements they had made in the past on Xinjiang.

Some internet users said they would stop buying Nike and will support local brands such as Li Ning and Anta, while others told Adidas to leave China.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uighur-muslims-protest-against-treatment-amid-chinese-foreign-ministers-visit-373092" hreflang="en">Uighur Muslims protest against treatment amid Chinese foreign minister's visit</a>

Activists and U.N. experts say that more than 1 million Muslim&nbsp;Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims are being held against their will in harsh camps in the remote western region.

Chinese state media had singled out H&amp;M on Wednesday over a statement reported last year where the Swedish fashion retailer said it was deeply concerned by reports of accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang, and that it did not source products from the Chinese region.

However, there are&nbsp;still some brands that are yet to raise their voices against&nbsp;China's human rights abuses. These include 83 brands which are&nbsp;directly or indirectly benefiting from China's&nbsp;abusive labour programs.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-china-targets-nike-and-hm-over-ban-on-xinjiang-cotton-373202">Watch |</a>

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These brands include,&nbsp;Abercombie &amp; fitch,&nbsp;Acer,&nbsp;Adidas, Puma, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Skechers, Panasonic, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. This data is based on supplier lists, media reports&nbsp;and details of claimed suppliers by respective factories.

According to report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute,&nbsp;more than 80,000 Uighurs were transfered out of Xinjiang between 2017 and 2019.

They were&nbsp;were sent to factories far away from home, forced to live in segregated dormitories as well as undergo&nbsp;lessons in mandarin and ideological training.

In these factories, they are&nbsp;subjected to constant surveillance and are&nbsp;are forbidden from celebrating their festivals. If&nbsp;they refuse to comply, the&nbsp;they are sent to detention camps.

The report states&nbsp;that 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces&nbsp;are part of this abusive labour program.

In July 2020, Adidas and Lacoste pledged to cut down on forced labour supply chains. While in November, Apple was lobbying against a bill to stop companies benefiting from forced labour.

Several brands have come under attack on Chinese social media over the past comments they have made about labour conditions in Xinjiang, part of a diplomatic row between China and the West.

Several brands have come under attack on Chinese social media over the past comments they have made about labour conditions in Xinjiang, part of a diplomatic row between China and the West. Nike and Adidas were the latest caught up in a backlash prompted by a Chinese government call to stop foreign brands from tainting China's name as internet users found statements they had made in the past on Xinjiang. Some internet users said they would stop buying Nike and will support local brands such as Li Ning and Anta, while others told Adidas to leave China. Also read| Uighur Muslims protest against treatment amid Chinese foreign minister's visit Activists and U.N. experts say that more than 1 million Muslim Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims are being held against their will in harsh camps in the remote western region. Chinese state media had singled out H&M on Wednesday over a statement reported last year where the Swedish fashion retailer said it was deeply concerned by reports of accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang, and that it did not source products from the Chinese region. However, there are still some brands that are yet to raise their voices against China's human rights abuses. These include 83 brands which are directly or indirectly benefiting from China's abusive labour programs. Watch | These brands include, Abercombie & fitch, Acer, Adidas, Puma, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Skechers, Panasonic, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. This data is based on supplier lists, media reports and details of claimed suppliers by respective factories. According to report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, more than 80,000 Uighurs were transfered out of Xinjiang between 2017 and 2019. They were were sent to factories far away from home, forced to live in segregated dormitories as well as undergo lessons in mandarin and ideological training. In these factories, they are subjected to constant surveillance and are are forbidden from celebrating their festivals. If they refuse to comply, the they are sent to detention camps. The report states that 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces are part of this abusive labour program. In July 2020, Adidas and Lacoste pledged to cut down on forced labour supply chains. While in November, Apple was lobbying against a bill to stop companies benefiting from forced labour.

Which foreign brands are feeding China's slave camps in Xinjiang

China imposed sanctions on British lawmakers and lobby groups on Friday in a move that is likely widen the divide between China and Western powers. The West has been critical of China's alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang. The EU, UK, Canada and US imposed sanctions on number of members of Xinjiang's political and economic hierarchy earlier this week. This was co-ordinated action against alleged widespread abuse in China's northwestern region.

Sanctions imposed on Friday were against nine UK individuals and four entities. China said that they had "maliciously spread lies and disinformation" over Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs.

Those sanctioned included Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of Britain's Conservative party, as well as other lawmakers and four groups which have been vocal in driving rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong onto Westminster's agenda.

Also on the list was a law firm that has taken up Uyghur rights causes.

All of the sanctioned parties will be barred from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, while their property in the country will be frozen, and Chinese citizens and institutions will be banned from dealings with them.

"The United Kingdom (UK) imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese individuals and entity, citing the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

The move "severely undermines China-UK relations", it added, warning Britain "not go further down the wrong path".

Rights groups say that at least one million Uyghurs and people from other Muslim groups have been held in camps in Xinjiang. There are accusations of forcible sterilisation of women and forced labour.

Beijing insists Xinjiang is an "internal affair" and has gone into attack mode as Western opprobrium mounts, putting sanctions on individuals from the European Union and Britain who have taken up the Uyghur cause.

China has also started a PR war against several Western brands that operate inside China.

(With AFP inputs)

China imposed sanctions on British lawmakers and lobby groups on Friday in a move that is likely widen the divide between China and Western powers. The West has been critical of China's alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang.

China imposed sanctions on British lawmakers and lobby groups on Friday in a move that is likely widen the divide between China and Western powers. The West has been critical of China's alleged human rights violations in Xinjiang. The EU, UK, Canada and US imposed sanctions on number of members of Xinjiang's political and economic hierarchy earlier this week. This was co-ordinated action against alleged widespread abuse in China's northwestern region. Sanctions imposed on Friday were against nine UK individuals and four entities. China said that they had "maliciously spread lies and disinformation" over Beijing's treatment of Uyghurs. Those sanctioned included Iain Duncan Smith, former leader of Britain's Conservative party, as well as other lawmakers and four groups which have been vocal in driving rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong onto Westminster's agenda. Also on the list was a law firm that has taken up Uyghur rights causes. All of the sanctioned parties will be barred from mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, while their property in the country will be frozen, and Chinese citizens and institutions will be banned from dealings with them. "The United Kingdom (UK) imposed unilateral sanctions on relevant Chinese individuals and entity, citing the so-called human rights issues in Xinjiang," China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The move "severely undermines China-UK relations", it added, warning Britain "not go further down the wrong path". Rights groups say that at least one million Uyghurs and people from other Muslim groups have been held in camps in Xinjiang. There are accusations of forcible sterilisation of women and forced labour. Beijing insists Xinjiang is an "internal affair" and has gone into attack mode as Western opprobrium mounts, putting sanctions on individuals from the European Union and Britain who have taken up the Uyghur cause. China has also started a PR war against several Western brands that operate inside China. (With AFP inputs)

China imposes sanctions on UK individuals over Xinjiang

In 2020, at least 83 foreign brands were implicated in a report on forced Uighur labour. Which brands are they? What's their stance? How many Uighurs are suffering because of them? WION's Palki Sharma gets you a report.

Gravitas: Which global brands are using Uighur Labour?

Brands like Nike and H&M are finding out the cost of raising China's human rights violations. The brands are facing boycott calls from the Chinese press and citizens. WION's Palki Sharma tells you more about Beijing's campaign of manufactured outrage.

Gravitas: China targets Nike and H&M over ban on Xinjiang Cotton

Facebook has said it disrupted efforts by hackers in China to spy on supporters of the Uighur minority living outside that country. A group of well-resourced hackers in China targetted hundreds of Uighur activists, journalists, and dissidents living abroad, trying to trick them into clicking on website links containing malicious code.

Since targets were lured away from Facebook, the social network could not tell how many of them clicked on booby-trapped links elsewhere.

"This group used various cyber espionage tactics to identify its targets and infect their devices with malware to enable surveillance," Facebook head of cyber espionage investigations Mike Dvilyanski and security policy chief Nathaniel Gleicher said in a blog post.

"This activity had the hallmarks of a well-resourced and persistent operation, while obfuscating who’s behind it."

Primary targets were Uighurs from Xinjiang in China now living in Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Syria, Turkey, the United States, and other countries, according to Facebook.

The hackers created fake accounts on&nbsp;Facebook pretending to be journalists, activists, or others sympathetic to the Uighur community so like-minded people would engage with the posts.

"The tactic was to build trust, and then use that as a way to trick them to click on these links to expose their devices," Gleicher said in the briefing.

"Even for a small number of users, less than 500 in this case around the world, the impact can be very serious -- you can imagine the surveillance."

Malware used could let cyber spies take over people's mobile phones, accessing information, cameras and microphones, according to security alerts about the malicious code.

To disrupt this operation, Facebook blocked malicious domains from being shared on the platform; took down the group's accounts and notified people it believed were targeted, according to the executives.

Rights groups say at least one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in Xinjiang, where authorities are also accused of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labor.

China has strongly denied the allegations, saying training programmes, work schemes and better education have helped stamp out extremism in the northwest region and raise income.

(with inputs)

Facebook has said it disrupted efforts by hackers in China to spy on supporters of the Uighur minority living outside that country. A group of well-resourced hackers in China targetted hundreds of Uighur activists, journalists, and dissidents living abroad, trying to trick them into clicking on website links containing malicious code.

Facebook has said it disrupted efforts by hackers in China to spy on supporters of the Uighur minority living outside that country. A group of well-resourced hackers in China targetted hundreds of Uighur activists, journalists, and dissidents living abroad, trying to trick them into clicking on website links containing malicious code. Since targets were lured away from Facebook, the social network could not tell how many of them clicked on booby-trapped links elsewhere. "This group used various cyber espionage tactics to identify its targets and infect their devices with malware to enable surveillance," Facebook head of cyber espionage investigations Mike Dvilyanski and security policy chief Nathaniel Gleicher said in a blog post. "This activity had the hallmarks of a well-resourced and persistent operation, while obfuscating who’s behind it." Primary targets were Uighurs from Xinjiang in China now living in Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Syria, Turkey, the United States, and other countries, according to Facebook. The hackers created fake accounts on Facebook pretending to be journalists, activists, or others sympathetic to the Uighur community so like-minded people would engage with the posts. "The tactic was to build trust, and then use that as a way to trick them to click on these links to expose their devices," Gleicher said in the briefing. "Even for a small number of users, less than 500 in this case around the world, the impact can be very serious -- you can imagine the surveillance." Malware used could let cyber spies take over people's mobile phones, accessing information, cameras and microphones, according to security alerts about the malicious code. To disrupt this operation, Facebook blocked malicious domains from being shared on the platform; took down the group's accounts and notified people it believed were targeted, according to the executives. Rights groups say at least one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in Xinjiang, where authorities are also accused of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labor. China has strongly denied the allegations, saying training programmes, work schemes and better education have helped stamp out extremism in the northwest region and raise income. (with inputs)

Cyber spies in China targetted Uighurs, Facebook says

The social media backlash in China against Western clothing brands is ballooning rapidly. This, as the country's ruling Communist Party retaliated for Western sanctions imposed on Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region.

The attacks began on the social media handle of the Communist Youth League, once a cradle for China's leaders. The league's account on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, highlighted an H&amp;M statement from March 2020, in which the clothing brand said it would stop buying cotton grown in Xinjiang. The Swedish retailer said it was deeply concerned about reports of forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). &nbsp;

In the latest development, the Chinese state-backed nationalist tabloid, Global Times, has cited Burberry, Adidas, Nike, and New Balance for critical remarks about Xinjiang cotton two years ago. So much so that Chinese celebrities such as Wang Yibo announced breaking endorsement contracts with H&amp;M and Nike.

On Wednesday, anger erupted on Chinese social media against Nike after netizens stumbled upon a statement from the leading sportswear brand that said it was "concerned" about reports of forced labour in Xinjiang. Nike had stated that it does not use cotton from the region. The Nike controversy soon began trending on Weibo. &nbsp;

The social media frenzy has not only led to nationalistic calls for Western brands such as Nike and Adidas to leave China, but also a call by the netizens to support local brands such as Li Ning and Anta.

Earlier this year, just before its controversial exit, the Trump administration announced an import ban on all cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations that they are made with forced labour from detained Uighur Muslims. It's important to note that the US would import cotton products from China and not raw cotton. With the US ban imposed and no apparent change of stance by the Biden administration towards China, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would now look at cotton products made in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Experts believe that the US ban, combined with a boycott by the Western apparel industry, could now result in more demand for raw cotton from India, particularly from the US, Vietnam and Bangladesh, who would have otherwise depended on China.

Let's do some number crunching. For the year 2020, the worldwide cotton market was worth $38.54 billion. That is expected to reach $46.56 billion by 2027, compound annual growth of 2.74 per cent from 2020 to 2027. That's how lucrative the cotton market is.

India is the largest producer of cotton in the world. China, Pakistan and the United States are other major producers.

Now, it is important to understand why Xinjiang matters when it comes to cotton.

Roughly 1 in 5 cotton garments sold globally contains cotton or yarn from Xinjiang. Of the total cotton produced in China, 86 per cent is from XUAR. This amounts to 70 per cent of all cotton yarn in China, the largest share in the dragon's yarn exports.

China and India have been the core cotton consumers for decades. In India, the textile sector reigns supreme, consuming most of the indigenous raw cotton. The domestic consumption of cotton also explains why India is not the largest exporter of cotton, despite being its largest producer. The core importers are China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey and Pakistan.

China's cotton exports in 2019 were $14.1 bn, equalling 26.6 per cent of total global exports, while India contributed 11.8 per cent, worth $6.3 billion and less than half of China's worldwide export. This is the gap that India must aim to fill.

Currently, both Vietnam and Bangladesh are buying a good amount of cotton from India, which is expected to produce at least 49.5 million bales (one bale is around 170 kgs) this season till September 2021, according to the Cotton Association of India. According to Reuters news agency, India's cotton exports are expected to jump 40 per cent&nbsp;in 2020/21 from a year ago to 7 million bales, the highest in seven years.

Now the question is, will India be able to fill the gap created by the boycott of cotton products from Xinjiang? And will India be able to replace the American dependency on Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam and The Philippines?

As India's foreign minister, Dr S Jaishankar aptly pointed out at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/globalsummit/dubai-2021">WION Global Summit</a>, the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the drawbacks of the global supply chain.

And perhaps that's why now is the time for India to be part of the reset, one that must span across defence, diplomacy, pharma, technology, textiles and trade.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

The social media backlash in China against Western clothing brands is ballooning rapidly. This, as the country's ruling Communist Party retaliated for Western sanctions imposed on Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region.

The social media backlash in China against Western clothing brands is ballooning rapidly. This, as the country's ruling Communist Party retaliated for Western sanctions imposed on Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region. The attacks began on the social media handle of the Communist Youth League, once a cradle for China's leaders. The league's account on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform, highlighted an H&M statement from March 2020, in which the clothing brand said it would stop buying cotton grown in Xinjiang. The Swedish retailer said it was deeply concerned about reports of forced labour in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR). In the latest development, the Chinese state-backed nationalist tabloid, Global Times, has cited Burberry, Adidas, Nike, and New Balance for critical remarks about Xinjiang cotton two years ago. So much so that Chinese celebrities such as Wang Yibo announced breaking endorsement contracts with H&M and Nike. On Wednesday, anger erupted on Chinese social media against Nike after netizens stumbled upon a statement from the leading sportswear brand that said it was "concerned" about reports of forced labour in Xinjiang. Nike had stated that it does not use cotton from the region. The Nike controversy soon began trending on Weibo. The social media frenzy has not only led to nationalistic calls for Western brands such as Nike and Adidas to leave China, but also a call by the netizens to support local brands such as Li Ning and Anta. Earlier this year, just before its controversial exit, the Trump administration announced an import ban on all cotton and tomato products from Xinjiang over allegations that they are made with forced labour from detained Uighur Muslims. It's important to note that the US would import cotton products from China and not raw cotton. With the US ban imposed and no apparent change of stance by the Biden administration towards China, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would now look at cotton products made in Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. Experts believe that the US ban, combined with a boycott by the Western apparel industry, could now result in more demand for raw cotton from India, particularly from the US, Vietnam and Bangladesh, who would have otherwise depended on China. Let's do some number crunching. For the year 2020, the worldwide cotton market was worth $38.54 billion. That is expected to reach $46.56 billion by 2027, compound annual growth of 2.74 per cent from 2020 to 2027. That's how lucrative the cotton market is. India is the largest producer of cotton in the world. China, Pakistan and the United States are other major producers. Now, it is important to understand why Xinjiang matters when it comes to cotton. Roughly 1 in 5 cotton garments sold globally contains cotton or yarn from Xinjiang. Of the total cotton produced in China, 86 per cent is from XUAR. This amounts to 70 per cent of all cotton yarn in China, the largest share in the dragon's yarn exports. China and India have been the core cotton consumers for decades. In India, the textile sector reigns supreme, consuming most of the indigenous raw cotton. The domestic consumption of cotton also explains why India is not the largest exporter of cotton, despite being its largest producer. The core importers are China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Turkey and Pakistan. China's cotton exports in 2019 were $14.1 bn, equalling 26.6 per cent of total global exports, while India contributed 11.8 per cent, worth $6.3 billion and less than half of China's worldwide export. This is the gap that India must aim to fill. Currently, both Vietnam and Bangladesh are buying a good amount of cotton from India, which is expected to produce at least 49.5 million bales (one bale is around 170 kgs) this season till September 2021, according to the Cotton Association of India. According to Reuters news agency, India's cotton exports are expected to jump 40 per cent in 2020/21 from a year ago to 7 million bales, the highest in seven years. Now the question is, will India be able to fill the gap created by the boycott of cotton products from Xinjiang? And will India be able to replace the American dependency on Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam and The Philippines? As India's foreign minister, Dr S Jaishankar aptly pointed out at the WION Global Summit, the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the drawbacks of the global supply chain. And perhaps that's why now is the time for India to be part of the reset, one that must span across defence, diplomacy, pharma, technology, textiles and trade. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Xinjiang cotton boycott: A golden opportunity for India

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake that struck in China's western Xinjiang region before dawn Wednesday left three people dead, damaged roofs and forced the evacuation of hundreds, state media reported.

The earthquake hit Baicheng county in the northwestern Aksu prefecture at 5.14 am, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

Footage showed buildings swaying in the dark, leaving some houses with their roofs caved in afterward.

"The earthquake caused three deaths and 65 houses were damaged," state broadcaster CCTV reported, adding that there were 10 aftershocks of which the largest magnitude was 3.4.

After houses and livestock sheds collapsed, leaders of an affected village set up a temporary resettlement site.

China is regularly hit by earthquakes, especially in its mountainous western and southwestern regions.

In February 2003, a powerful 6.8-magnitude quake killed 268 people in Xinjiang and caused significant damage.

Following Wednesday's earthquake, train services between regional capital Urumqi and areas such as Hotan and Aksu were delayed, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

A powerful 7.9-magnitude quake in southwest China's Sichuan province in 2008 left 87,000 people dead or missing.

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake that struck in China's western Xinjiang region before dawn Wednesday left three people dead, damaged roofs and forced the evacuation of hundreds, state media reported.

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake that struck in China's western Xinjiang region before dawn Wednesday left three people dead, damaged roofs and forced the evacuation of hundreds, state media reported. The earthquake hit Baicheng county in the northwestern Aksu prefecture at 5.14 am, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center. Footage showed buildings swaying in the dark, leaving some houses with their roofs caved in afterward. "The earthquake caused three deaths and 65 houses were damaged," state broadcaster CCTV reported, adding that there were 10 aftershocks of which the largest magnitude was 3.4. After houses and livestock sheds collapsed, leaders of an affected village set up a temporary resettlement site. China is regularly hit by earthquakes, especially in its mountainous western and southwestern regions. In February 2003, a powerful 6.8-magnitude quake killed 268 people in Xinjiang and caused significant damage. Following Wednesday's earthquake, train services between regional capital Urumqi and areas such as Hotan and Aksu were delayed, the official Xinhua news agency reported. A powerful 7.9-magnitude quake in southwest China's Sichuan province in 2008 left 87,000 people dead or missing.

Three dead in 5.4-magnitude quake in Xinjiang: State media

The European Union imposed sanctions on Monday on four Chinese officials, including a top security director, for human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

EU, China impose tit-for-tat sanctions over Xinjiang abuses

After the US, the EU, Britain, and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for excesses against Muslims in Xinjiang region, China hit back at the countries with sanctions of their own.

Soon after the coordinated western sanctions, China responded with sanctions of their own, mostly targeting the EU - including diplomats, institutes, families, lawmakers. The sanctions now prevent EU from doing business with China.

Multiple reports over the last year have shed light on human rights abuses taking place in northwestern China, where Muslim Uighur are reportedly kept in mass detention camps.&nbsp;

United States claims that China is committing genocide in the region. So far, China has denied all such accusations, calling these camps “reeducation centres” aimed at de-radicalising youth.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/eu-approves-sanctions-on-china-myanmar-over-rights-abuses-372295" hreflang="en">EU approves sanctions on China, Myanmar over rights abuses</a>

Biden’s policy for Beijing is centred around aligning with strategic partners, in what many US officials calls the “Europe roadshow”.

"Amid growing international condemnation, (China) continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned in a statement. A meeting with EU and NATO members is due later.

According to activists and UN rights experts, at least 1 million Muslims are currently detained in Xinjiang camps. Reports add that torture, forced labour, and sterilisations are the tactics used by the Chinese government against Muslims.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/opinions-blogs/opinion-quad-summits-forward-trajectory-disturbs-china-372360" hreflang="en">Opinion: Quad Summit's forward trajectory disturbs China</a>

“Mounting evidence points to systemic, state-led human rights violations by Chinese authorities”, Canada’s foreign ministry had said. 
 
China has denied all such allegations, claiming that these camps provide vocational training to counter extremism in the country.

On Monday, the EU imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials, including a top-level security director, along with another entity. Soon after, Britain and Canada followed suit.

After the US, the EU, Britain, and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for excesses against Muslims in Xinjiang region, China hit back at the countries with sanctions of their own.

After the US, the EU, Britain, and Canada imposed sanctions on Chinese officials for excesses against Muslims in Xinjiang region, China hit back at the countries with sanctions of their own. Soon after the coordinated western sanctions, China responded with sanctions of their own, mostly targeting the EU - including diplomats, institutes, families, lawmakers. The sanctions now prevent EU from doing business with China. Multiple reports over the last year have shed light on human rights abuses taking place in northwestern China, where Muslim Uighur are reportedly kept in mass detention camps. United States claims that China is committing genocide in the region. So far, China has denied all such accusations, calling these camps “reeducation centres” aimed at de-radicalising youth. Also read: EU approves sanctions on China, Myanmar over rights abuses Biden’s policy for Beijing is centred around aligning with strategic partners, in what many US officials calls the “Europe roadshow”. "Amid growing international condemnation, (China) continues to commit genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned in a statement. A meeting with EU and NATO members is due later. According to activists and UN rights experts, at least 1 million Muslims are currently detained in Xinjiang camps. Reports add that torture, forced labour, and sterilisations are the tactics used by the Chinese government against Muslims. Also read: Opinion: Quad Summit's forward trajectory disturbs China “Mounting evidence points to systemic, state-led human rights violations by Chinese authorities”, Canada’s foreign ministry had said. China has denied all such allegations, claiming that these camps provide vocational training to counter extremism in the country. On Monday, the EU imposed sanctions on four Chinese officials, including a top-level security director, along with another entity. Soon after, Britain and Canada followed suit.

China retaliates after coordinated sanctions by western countries over Xinjiang abuses

A group of female demonstrators in Kazakhstan is demanding safe passage for their relatives who are trapped or missing in the Xinjian region in China.

WION Dispatch: Kazakhstan women group is protesting against Xinjiang genocide

The UK government must toughen measures to tackle modern slavery to ensure Uighur forced labour is not used in their supply chains, a panel of British lawmakers has said.

The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee on Tuesday said some British firms could be complicit in the use of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region, and that there was a lack of transparency in firms' supply chains and failures in government.

Xinjiang is home to many Chinese ethnic minorities, including Uighur Muslims.

The MPs said firms in fashion, retail, media and technology could all be implicated, and it was time to fine and blacklist those that failed to change.

The BEIS committee said it was appalled that companies still cannot guarantee that their supply chains are free from forced labour. Those that cannot prove they don't have links with Xingjian should face sanctions, it said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-labour-schemes-are-aimed-at-cutting-uighur-population-density-report-says-367729">Also read |&nbsp;Chinese labour schemes are aimed at cutting Uighur population density, report says</a>

The hard-hitting report says that government policy and modern slavery legislation is “not fit for purpose in tackling this serious situation” and government has been slow to make changes. The report recommends the government accelerates proposals to amend and strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

“The Modern Slavery Act is out of date, has no teeth, and we do not accept that businesses should be excused from doing basic due diligence to guarantee that their supply chains are fully transparent and free from forced labour and slavery,” the report said.

MPs conclusively recommend the government assess options for targeted sanctions against Chinese and international businesses implicated in human rights abuses. The report also calls for the introduction of fines for those who do not comply with modern slavery reporting rules to try to reduce risks in their supply chains.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crime-against-humanity-and-genocide-us-condemns-china-for-abuse-of-uighurs-tibetans-370024">Also read |&nbsp;'Crime against humanity and genocide': US condemns China for abuse of Uighurs, Tibetans</a>

"The government should create a 'white list' of companies which had shown evidenced actions to ensure their suppliers were not using slave labour in Xinjiang and a black list of those who could not provide such evidence or provide information about their sourcing. It said both lists should be updated every six months," the report added.

(with inputs from reports)

The UK government must toughen measures to tackle modern slavery to ensure Uighur forced labour is not used in their supply chains, a panel of British lawmakers has said.

The UK government must toughen measures to tackle modern slavery to ensure Uighur forced labour is not used in their supply chains, a panel of British lawmakers has said. The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee on Tuesday said some British firms could be complicit in the use of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region, and that there was a lack of transparency in firms' supply chains and failures in government. Xinjiang is home to many Chinese ethnic minorities, including Uighur Muslims. The MPs said firms in fashion, retail, media and technology could all be implicated, and it was time to fine and blacklist those that failed to change. The BEIS committee said it was appalled that companies still cannot guarantee that their supply chains are free from forced labour. Those that cannot prove they don't have links with Xingjian should face sanctions, it said. Also read | Chinese labour schemes are aimed at cutting Uighur population density, report says The hard-hitting report says that government policy and modern slavery legislation is “not fit for purpose in tackling this serious situation” and government has been slow to make changes. The report recommends the government accelerates proposals to amend and strengthen the Modern Slavery Act 2015. “The Modern Slavery Act is out of date, has no teeth, and we do not accept that businesses should be excused from doing basic due diligence to guarantee that their supply chains are fully transparent and free from forced labour and slavery,” the report said. MPs conclusively recommend the government assess options for targeted sanctions against Chinese and international businesses implicated in human rights abuses. The report also calls for the introduction of fines for those who do not comply with modern slavery reporting rules to try to reduce risks in their supply chains. Also read | 'Crime against humanity and genocide': US condemns China for abuse of Uighurs, Tibetans "The government should create a 'white list' of companies which had shown evidenced actions to ensure their suppliers were not using slave labour in Xinjiang and a black list of those who could not provide such evidence or provide information about their sourcing. It said both lists should be updated every six months," the report added. (with inputs from reports)

UK should crack down on firms using forced labour in China's Xinjiang, MPs say

A visit by European Union ambassadors to the Xinjiang region of China has stalled over their request for access to jailed Uighur academic Ilham Tohti, a diplomatic source confirmed Wednesday.

Since 2019, China says it has invited foreign diplomats and UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to visit Xinjiang, where rights groups allege more than one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are detained in internment camps.

But there has been little sign of progress.

A European diplomat told AFP it was because the mission wants to visit Tohti, a Uighur economist jailed for life on separatism charges in 2014.

He received the Sakharov Prize -- the EU's top human rights award -- in 2019.

"Negotiations are in a stalemate because of Tohti and other conditions," the diplomat said. "I don't think they are going soon."

China's ambassador to the European Union, Zhang Ming, on Tuesday said "almost everything had been arranged" for EU member states' ambassadors to visit Xinjiang.

But it had snagged on "unacceptable requests," he added.

"They insist on a meeting with one criminal convicted by Chinese law," he said. "This is unacceptable, I'm so sorry."

China strongly denies allegations of abuse involving Uighurs in Xinjiang and says all inmates have "graduated" from "vocational training centres", which it claims have helped stamp out extremism in the region and raise incomes.

A delegation of three EU officials who took part in a carefully organised Xinjiang visit in January 2019 previously said they believed the people they met in a "training centre" were reciting a dictated speech.

Zhang added that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi extended an invitation to Bachelet on March 7, after she called for an "independent and comprehensive assessment of the human rights situation" in Xinjiang late February.

He insisted that Xinjiang is "open to foreign diplomats, journalists and tourists."&nbsp;

All foreign journalists face extensive harassment and surveillance from Chinese authorities when attempting to report from Xinjiang over the past year, according to the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China.

A visit by European Union ambassadors to the Xinjiang region of China has stalled over their request for access to jailed Uighur academic Ilham Tohti, a diplomatic source confirmed Wednesday.

A visit by European Union ambassadors to the Xinjiang region of China has stalled over their request for access to jailed Uighur academic Ilham Tohti, a diplomatic source confirmed Wednesday. Since 2019, China says it has invited foreign diplomats and UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet to visit Xinjiang, where rights groups allege more than one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities are detained in internment camps. But there has been little sign of progress. A European diplomat told AFP it was because the mission wants to visit Tohti, a Uighur economist jailed for life on separatism charges in 2014. He received the Sakharov Prize -- the EU's top human rights award -- in 2019. "Negotiations are in a stalemate because of Tohti and other conditions," the diplomat said. "I don't think they are going soon." China's ambassador to the European Union, Zhang Ming, on Tuesday said "almost everything had been arranged" for EU member states' ambassadors to visit Xinjiang. But it had snagged on "unacceptable requests," he added. "They insist on a meeting with one criminal convicted by Chinese law," he said. "This is unacceptable, I'm so sorry." China strongly denies allegations of abuse involving Uighurs in Xinjiang and says all inmates have "graduated" from "vocational training centres", which it claims have helped stamp out extremism in the region and raise incomes. A delegation of three EU officials who took part in a carefully organised Xinjiang visit in January 2019 previously said they believed the people they met in a "training centre" were reciting a dictated speech. Zhang added that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi extended an invitation to Bachelet on March 7, after she called for an "independent and comprehensive assessment of the human rights situation" in Xinjiang late February. He insisted that Xinjiang is "open to foreign diplomats, journalists and tourists." All foreign journalists face extensive harassment and surveillance from Chinese authorities when attempting to report from Xinjiang over the past year, according to the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China.

EU visit to Xinjiang stalls over access to jailed Uighur: diplomat

China urged the United States on Sunday to remove 'unreasonable' curbs on cooperation as soon as possible and work together on issues like climate change, while accusing Washington of bringing chaos in the name of spreading democracy.&nbsp;

Last week, US President Joe Biden singled out a 'growing rivalry with China' as a key challenge facing the United States, with his top diplomat describing the Asian country as 'the biggest geopolitical test' of this century.&nbsp;

Speaking at his annual news conference, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, struck a tough line even as he outlined where the world's two biggest economies could work together.&nbsp;

Questioned about recent US-China frictions over Taiwan, Xinjiang and the disputed South China Sea, Wang said Beijing 'will never accept baseless accusations and smears'.&nbsp;

The United States used democracy and human rights as a basis for arbitrarily interfering with other countries' affairs, he said. "The US should realise this as soon as possible, otherwise the world will continue to experience instability."&nbsp;

Wang added that differences between China and the United States must be managed carefully, the two sides must advocate healthy competition not zero-sum finger-pointing, and that areas like climate change and fighting the pandemic were where they could cooperate.&nbsp;

"It is hoped that the United States and China will meet each other halfway and lift the various unreasonable restrictions placed on Sino-US cooperation to date as soon as possible, and not create new obstacles artificially."&nbsp;

The United States and China are at odds over influence in the Indo-Pacific region, Beijing's economic practices, Hong Kong, Taiwan and human rights in China's Xinjiang region.&nbsp;

The Biden administration has indicated it will broadly continue the tough approach to China taken by former President Donald Trump, but do so in coordination with allies.&nbsp;

Wang warned that on Chinese-claimed Taiwan, there was no room for compromise, urging the new US government to change the previous administration's 'dangerous acts of playing with fire'.&nbsp;

Biden's team says the US commitment to democratic Taiwan is 'rock solid'.&nbsp;

During Trump's administration, the United States levied a series of sanctions against China and its officials over Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Beijing's economic policies, which have not been lifted under the new administration.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

China urged the United States on Sunday to remove 'unreasonable' curbs on cooperation as soon as possible and work together on issues like climate change, while accusing Washington of bringing chaos in the name of spreading democracy.

China urged the United States on Sunday to remove 'unreasonable' curbs on cooperation as soon as possible and work together on issues like climate change, while accusing Washington of bringing chaos in the name of spreading democracy. Last week, US President Joe Biden singled out a 'growing rivalry with China' as a key challenge facing the United States, with his top diplomat describing the Asian country as 'the biggest geopolitical test' of this century. Speaking at his annual news conference, the Chinese government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, struck a tough line even as he outlined where the world's two biggest economies could work together. Questioned about recent US-China frictions over Taiwan, Xinjiang and the disputed South China Sea, Wang said Beijing 'will never accept baseless accusations and smears'. The United States used democracy and human rights as a basis for arbitrarily interfering with other countries' affairs, he said. "The US should realise this as soon as possible, otherwise the world will continue to experience instability." Wang added that differences between China and the United States must be managed carefully, the two sides must advocate healthy competition not zero-sum finger-pointing, and that areas like climate change and fighting the pandemic were where they could cooperate. "It is hoped that the United States and China will meet each other halfway and lift the various unreasonable restrictions placed on Sino-US cooperation to date as soon as possible, and not create new obstacles artificially." The United States and China are at odds over influence in the Indo-Pacific region, Beijing's economic practices, Hong Kong, Taiwan and human rights in China's Xinjiang region. The Biden administration has indicated it will broadly continue the tough approach to China taken by former President Donald Trump, but do so in coordination with allies. Wang warned that on Chinese-claimed Taiwan, there was no room for compromise, urging the new US government to change the previous administration's 'dangerous acts of playing with fire'. Biden's team says the US commitment to democratic Taiwan is 'rock solid'. During Trump's administration, the United States levied a series of sanctions against China and its officials over Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Beijing's economic policies, which have not been lifted under the new administration. (With inputs from agencies)

China urges US to remove 'unreasonable' curbs on cooperation 

China has said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) govt welcomes the UN high commissioner (for human rights Michelle Bachelet) to visit Xinjiang but she should not use this opportunity to engage in political operations to pressure the country.

Earlier, United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet had said that China is restricting the basic civil and political freedoms – including in Hong Kong – in the name of national security.

Activists and UN rights experts say at least one million Muslims are being detained in camps in the remote western region of Xinjiang. The activists and some Western politicians accuse China of using torture, forced labour and sterilisations.

China denies any human rights abuses in Xinjiang and says its camps provide vocational training and are needed to fight extremism.

“We also find it regrettable the High Commissioner made unsubstantiated accusations against China based on misinformation and political pressure,” China’s delegate Jiang Duan told the U.N. Human Rights Council.

"Issues of Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong are not in essence the so-called issues of human rights. Currently, people in Xinjiang and Tibet enjoy social stability, economic growth, national unity, religious cultural harmony, and cultural development and improvement in life. All ethnic groups enjoy wide-ranging freedoms. The door to Xinjiang is always open, and we welcome the high commissioner (for human rights Michelle Bachelet) to visit Xinjiang. Communication is kept up between the two sides, but the aim of the visit is to provide exchanges and cooperation rather than the so-called investigation based on 'guilty before proven.' We are firmly opposed to anyone using this to engage in political operations to pressure China'," China's delegation said.

(With inputs from agencies)

China has said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) govt welcomes the UN high commissioner (for human rights Michelle Bachelet) to visit Xinjiang but she should not use this opportunity to engage in political operations to pressure the country.

China has said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) govt welcomes the UN high commissioner (for human rights Michelle Bachelet) to visit Xinjiang but she should not use this opportunity to engage in political operations to pressure the country. Earlier, United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet had said that China is restricting the basic civil and political freedoms – including in Hong Kong – in the name of national security. Activists and UN rights experts say at least one million Muslims are being detained in camps in the remote western region of Xinjiang. The activists and some Western politicians accuse China of using torture, forced labour and sterilisations. China denies any human rights abuses in Xinjiang and says its camps provide vocational training and are needed to fight extremism. “We also find it regrettable the High Commissioner made unsubstantiated accusations against China based on misinformation and political pressure,” China’s delegate Jiang Duan told the U.N. Human Rights Council. "Issues of Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong are not in essence the so-called issues of human rights. Currently, people in Xinjiang and Tibet enjoy social stability, economic growth, national unity, religious cultural harmony, and cultural development and improvement in life. All ethnic groups enjoy wide-ranging freedoms. The door to Xinjiang is always open, and we welcome the high commissioner (for human rights Michelle Bachelet) to visit Xinjiang. Communication is kept up between the two sides, but the aim of the visit is to provide exchanges and cooperation rather than the so-called investigation based on 'guilty before proven.' We are firmly opposed to anyone using this to engage in political operations to pressure China'," China's delegation said. (With inputs from agencies)

Uighurs, Tibet and Hong Kong issues not in the essence of human rights: China

China has condemned a motion passed by Dutch lawmakers declaring that Beijing's actions towards minority groups in Xinjiang amounted to genocide.

The Dutch parliament passed the motion on Thursday that "genocide is underway in China against the Uighur minority," joining countries including Canada and the United States in applying the label.

Rights groups believe at least one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in the northwestern region, where China is also accused of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Friday, to this end, hit back at the motion, accusing Dutch lawmakers of using Xinjiang as an excuse to "deliberately smear China and crudely interfere in China's internal affairs."

"The facts show that there has never been any 'genocide' in Xinjiang," Wang told reporters at a regular briefing.

The Netherlands is the first European country to accuse China of genocide, after Canadian MPs and the US State Department made similar statements.

After initially denying the existence of the Xinjiang camps, China later defended them as vocational training centres aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism.

Beijing said last week that its treatment of ethnic minorities there and in Tibet "stood out as shining examples of China's human rights progress."

Wang on Friday said he hoped the Netherlands would "immediately stop its wrongdoings and take concrete actions to safeguard the overall situation of bilateral relations."

He also said EU representatives were welcome to visit Xinjiang, and accused the EU of causing delays to the trip by demanding to meet with "criminals" sentenced for separatism.

Earlier this week, in Beijing, a Chinese spokesperson held up the photograph of a victim who revealed abuses. In short, the wolf warriors called her an actor who is disseminating falsehoods.

When faced with criticism at global platforms, China has deployed its diplomats to fire back.

The same thing happened with Hong Kong. When China was criticised for its crackdown, it secured the support of more than 50 countries at the human rights council.

Similarly, when Xinjiang was raised in 2019, 54 countries signed a statement in support of China.

Now it's back in focus. The UK has called for a UN-led probe into the Uighur detention camps.

And the UN human rights chief is ready to visit Xinjiang.

But resolutions and criticism have little impact on China. Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch said China has increased its persecution of Uighurs with more prosecutions and longer prison sentences.

Branding it a genocide is a welcome first step. The world needs to follow this up with more -- and make China pay.

China has condemned a motion passed by Dutch lawmakers declaring that Beijing's actions towards minority groups in Xinjiang amounted to genocide. The Dutch parliament passed the motion on Thursday that "genocide is underway in China against the Uighur minority," joining countries including Canada and the United States in applying the label.

China has condemned a motion passed by Dutch lawmakers declaring that Beijing's actions towards minority groups in Xinjiang amounted to genocide. The Dutch parliament passed the motion on Thursday that "genocide is underway in China against the Uighur minority," joining countries including Canada and the United States in applying the label. Rights groups believe at least one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in the northwestern region, where China is also accused of forcibly sterilising women and imposing forced labour. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin on Friday, to this end, hit back at the motion, accusing Dutch lawmakers of using Xinjiang as an excuse to "deliberately smear China and crudely interfere in China's internal affairs." "The facts show that there has never been any 'genocide' in Xinjiang," Wang told reporters at a regular briefing. The Netherlands is the first European country to accuse China of genocide, after Canadian MPs and the US State Department made similar statements. After initially denying the existence of the Xinjiang camps, China later defended them as vocational training centres aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism. Beijing said last week that its treatment of ethnic minorities there and in Tibet "stood out as shining examples of China's human rights progress." Wang on Friday said he hoped the Netherlands would "immediately stop its wrongdoings and take concrete actions to safeguard the overall situation of bilateral relations." He also said EU representatives were welcome to visit Xinjiang, and accused the EU of causing delays to the trip by demanding to meet with "criminals" sentenced for separatism. Earlier this week, in Beijing, a Chinese spokesperson held up the photograph of a victim who revealed abuses. In short, the wolf warriors called her an actor who is disseminating falsehoods. When faced with criticism at global platforms, China has deployed its diplomats to fire back. The same thing happened with Hong Kong. When China was criticised for its crackdown, it secured the support of more than 50 countries at the human rights council. Similarly, when Xinjiang was raised in 2019, 54 countries signed a statement in support of China. Now it's back in focus. The UK has called for a UN-led probe into the Uighur detention camps. And the UN human rights chief is ready to visit Xinjiang. But resolutions and criticism have little impact on China. Earlier this week, Human Rights Watch said China has increased its persecution of Uighurs with more prosecutions and longer prison sentences. Branding it a genocide is a welcome first step. The world needs to follow this up with more -- and make China pay.

China slams Dutch motion declaring genocide in Xinjiang

A rights group on Wednesday highlighted how China has dramatically increased the systemic prosecution of Muslim minorities through formal courts systems on dubious charges such as "picking quarrels".

"Despite the veneer of legality, many of those in Xinjiang's prisons are ordinary people who were convicted for going about their lives and practising their religion," Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher Maya Wang was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Watch |&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/eu-slams-china-over-human-rights-abuses-365786/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The organisation also said that over 250,000 people in Xinjiang have been sentenced and imprisoned since 2016.&nbsp;

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/disregards-facts-and-common-sense-china-decries-canadas-motion-saying-its-treatment-of-uighurs-is-genocide-365690">'Disregards facts and common sense': China decries Canada's motion saying its treatment of Uighurs is 'genocide'</a>

These criminal convictions had increased between 2017 and 2019 during a crackdown on Uighurs and other and other majorly Muslim minorities.

About 100,000 people were sentenced by courts in Xinjiang in 2017, up from less than 40,000 in 2016, the HRW said, mentioning government figures.&nbsp;

It also accused the Chinese administration to put pressure on police, courts and prosecutors to "deliver swift and harsh punishment" on grounds of terrorism, causing several people sent to jail without committing any genuine offence.

Convictions are given on activities such as "telling others 'what is haram and halal'" and bringing gifts to relatives in Turkey, HRW said.&nbsp;

It also said that the prison term has grown longer.&nbsp;

The HRW's comments came a day after the European Union asked China to allow UN human rights boss Michelle Bachelet visit the region and investigate the alleged human rights violations against Uighurs.&nbsp;

"Once again, we urge China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including High Commissioner Bachelet. This is key to enable an independent, impartial and transparent assessment of the grave concerns that the international community has," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said while addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. &nbsp; 
&nbsp;

A rights group on Wednesday highlighted how China has dramatically increased the systemic prosecution of Muslim minorities through formal courts systems on dubious charges such as "picking quarrels".

A rights group on Wednesday highlighted how China has dramatically increased the systemic prosecution of Muslim minorities through formal courts systems on dubious charges such as "picking quarrels". "Despite the veneer of legality, many of those in Xinjiang's prisons are ordinary people who were convicted for going about their lives and practising their religion," Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher Maya Wang was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. Watch | The organisation also said that over 250,000 people in Xinjiang have been sentenced and imprisoned since 2016. Also read | 'Disregards facts and common sense': China decries Canada's motion saying its treatment of Uighurs is 'genocide' These criminal convictions had increased between 2017 and 2019 during a crackdown on Uighurs and other and other majorly Muslim minorities. About 100,000 people were sentenced by courts in Xinjiang in 2017, up from less than 40,000 in 2016, the HRW said, mentioning government figures. It also accused the Chinese administration to put pressure on police, courts and prosecutors to "deliver swift and harsh punishment" on grounds of terrorism, causing several people sent to jail without committing any genuine offence. Convictions are given on activities such as "telling others 'what is haram and halal'" and bringing gifts to relatives in Turkey, HRW said. It also said that the prison term has grown longer. The HRW's comments came a day after the European Union asked China to allow UN human rights boss Michelle Bachelet visit the region and investigate the alleged human rights violations against Uighurs. "Once again, we urge China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including High Commissioner Bachelet. This is key to enable an independent, impartial and transparent assessment of the grave concerns that the international community has," European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said while addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Rights group says Uighur convictions rise as EU demands access to Xinjiang

Beijing has harshly reacted against the Human Rights Watch (HRW) that slammed China for the inhuman treatment it metes out to the Uighur Muslims.

The rights group on Wednesday highlighted how China has dramatically increased the systemic prosecution of Muslim minorities through formal courts systems on dubious charges such as "picking quarrels".

"Despite the veneer of legality, many of those in Xinjiang's prisons are ordinary people who were convicted for going about their lives and practising their religion," HRW researcher Maya Wang was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

The organisation also said that over 250,000 people in Xinjiang have been sentenced and imprisoned since 2016.&nbsp;

To this end, the Chinese foreign ministry was quick to label the report as prejudiced.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the ministry, said, "The organisation you mentioned has always been full of prejudice on issues related to China, often spreading false statements to smear China, and their allegations should not be trusted."

Earlier on Monday, China lambasted the non-binding motion passed by the Canadian parliament that labelled PRC’s treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority as ‘genocide’.&nbsp;

This came after Donald Trump's outgoing administration last month said Beijing's incarceration of mostly Muslim minorities in its far western Xinjiang region amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity.

"It's a word that is extremely loaded and is certainly something that we should be looking at in the case of the Uighurs," Trudeau told a news conference.&nbsp;

Also, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday denounced what he called the "institutionalised repression" of China's Uighur minority.

Speaking by video link at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Le Drian said that witness accounts and documents from the Chinese region of Xinjiang pointed to "unjustifiable practises towards Uighurs, and a system of large-scale surveillance and institutionalised repression."

Rights groups believe that at least one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslim minorities are incarcerated in camps in the western region of Xinjiang.

Le Drian cited Xinjiang among several examples of "considerable regressions for human rights" in 2020.

Joseph Borrel, the foreign policy chief of the European Union, has called on China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang.

He said, “Once again, we urge China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including high commissioner Bachelet. This is key to enable an independent, impartial and transparent assessment of the grave concerns that the international community has.”

"The EU calls on china to comply with its obligation under national and international law, to respect and to protect human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities in Xinjiang, in Tibet and in Inner Mongolia.”

In a nutshell, China may be trying to push back, but its crimes are too obvious to whitewash.

The implications could be severe.

Last we checked, calls to move the 2022 Winter Olympics away from China were growing exponentially.

Beijing cannot afford to let go of the games -- it has a whopping 3.9 billion dollar budget set for the Olympics.

But as China's global reputation is abysmally low, and as the world looks for ways to punish China, the cancellation of the Winter Olympic games could be a good start.

Beijing has harshly reacted against the Human Rights Watch (HRW) that slammed China for the inhuman treatment it metes out to the Uighur Muslims. The rights group on Wednesday highlighted how China has dramatically increased the systemic prosecution of Muslim minorities through formal courts systems on dubious charges such as "picking quarrels".

Beijing has harshly reacted against the Human Rights Watch (HRW) that slammed China for the inhuman treatment it metes out to the Uighur Muslims. The rights group on Wednesday highlighted how China has dramatically increased the systemic prosecution of Muslim minorities through formal courts systems on dubious charges such as "picking quarrels". "Despite the veneer of legality, many of those in Xinjiang's prisons are ordinary people who were convicted for going about their lives and practising their religion," HRW researcher Maya Wang was quoted as saying by news agency AFP. The organisation also said that over 250,000 people in Xinjiang have been sentenced and imprisoned since 2016. To this end, the Chinese foreign ministry was quick to label the report as prejudiced. Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the ministry, said, "The organisation you mentioned has always been full of prejudice on issues related to China, often spreading false statements to smear China, and their allegations should not be trusted." Earlier on Monday, China lambasted the non-binding motion passed by the Canadian parliament that labelled PRC’s treatment of the Uighur Muslim minority as ‘genocide’. This came after Donald Trump's outgoing administration last month said Beijing's incarceration of mostly Muslim minorities in its far western Xinjiang region amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity. "It's a word that is extremely loaded and is certainly something that we should be looking at in the case of the Uighurs," Trudeau told a news conference. Also, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Wednesday denounced what he called the "institutionalised repression" of China's Uighur minority. Speaking by video link at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Le Drian said that witness accounts and documents from the Chinese region of Xinjiang pointed to "unjustifiable practises towards Uighurs, and a system of large-scale surveillance and institutionalised repression." Rights groups believe that at least one million Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslim minorities are incarcerated in camps in the western region of Xinjiang. Le Drian cited Xinjiang among several examples of "considerable regressions for human rights" in 2020. Joseph Borrel, the foreign policy chief of the European Union, has called on China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang. He said, “Once again, we urge China to allow meaningful access to Xinjiang for independent observers, including high commissioner Bachelet. This is key to enable an independent, impartial and transparent assessment of the grave concerns that the international community has.” "The EU calls on china to comply with its obligation under national and international law, to respect and to protect human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities in Xinjiang, in Tibet and in Inner Mongolia.” In a nutshell, China may be trying to push back, but its crimes are too obvious to whitewash. The implications could be severe. Last we checked, calls to move the 2022 Winter Olympics away from China were growing exponentially. Beijing cannot afford to let go of the games -- it has a whopping 3.9 billion dollar budget set for the Olympics. But as China's global reputation is abysmally low, and as the world looks for ways to punish China, the cancellation of the Winter Olympic games could be a good start.

China condemns rights group's report on Xinjiang and Uighur Muslims

After the United Kingdom, the European Union has now demanded access to the Xinjian region for human rights observers. EU has urged China to allow an investigation into the alleged mistreatment of Uighur minorities.

WION Fineprint: EU demands China allow 'meaningful access' to Xinjiang region

WION Dispatch: EU demands China allow 'meaningful access' to Xinjiang region

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