WASHINGTON—The Trump administration on Monday banned cotton apparel, computer parts and other imports from companies and suppliers that allegedly relied on forced and imprisoned laborers in China’s Xinjiang region. “The scourge of forced labor practices used in China is an unconscionable assault on innocent people and a threat to American producers,” said Mark Morgan, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, during a press conference Monday, adding that the orders came after two years of investigation. U.S. officials have condemned Chinese leaders in Beijing over alleged human-rights abuses that have unfolded against the mostly Muslim Uighur minority population in northwest China in recent years. The region produces a sizable portion of the world’s cotton, which some watchdog groups say relies on forced or prison labor to harvest it or turn it into yarn and fabric both in factories nearby and in neighboring countries. A representative for the Chinese embassy cited past statements from Chinese officials, who maintain that operators in the region abide by international labor laws, and that government activities in the region are aimed at preventing terrorism.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 14, 2020 20:15 UTC