U.S. pressures China over Uighur forced labor

WASHINGTON—Evidence is mounting that China forces detained Uighurs and other minorities in the northwest Xinjiang province to work in local factories. In response, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Monday banned imports of hair products, computer parts, cotton, and clothing from some Chinese companies in the region.

What is the goal of the ban? The restrictions “send a clear message to the international community that we will not tolerate the illicit, inhumane, and exploitative practices of forced labor in U.S. supply chains,” CBP acting Commissioner Mark A. Morgan said. The Trump administration has issued eight similar orders against China in the past year and is considering a ban on all cotton and tomatoes from Xinjiang. Reports indicate the country has interned more than 1 million Uighurs.

Dig deeper: Read Lynde Langdon’s report in Muse on the human rights concerns that Disney’s Mulan raises.