US President Joe Biden signed into law a bill banning goods from China’s Xinjiang region unless companies can prove they aren’t made with forced labor, a move that will add to tensions over Beijing’s treatment of the nation’s Uyghur minority.
The bill passed with unanimous backing in both the House and Senate earlier this month, showcasing how Republicans and Democrats are largely aligned on China policy despite Washington’s deep partisan divisions on most major issues.
The new law could pose a significant challenge for American and other firms that source items from Xinjiang for products used in the US. Even before Biden signed the bill, Intel Corp found itself embroiled in controversy after the chipmaker asked suppliers not to use any labour or products sourced from Xinjiang and then apologised for the move.
The measure is motivated by concern about the oppression of Uyghur Muslims in a region that holds a major place in global supply chains. Xinjiang is a source for cotton used in clothing and is a key location for producing polysilicon used in solar panels.
Walmart blasted by consumers over missing Xinjiang items
Chinese social media platforms erupted on Friday over allegations that Walmart had stopped selling items from Xinjiang at its members-only grocery chain Sam’s Club in China. Posts of screenshots showing no search results for the word “Xinjiang” on Sam’s Club’s app went viral Friday on Weibo.
