The US House of Representatives passed a bill to ban imports. No goods from forced Uyghur labor may be imported into China.
The basics in brief
- The US government wants to impose a ban on imports of goods from Xinjiang.
- The US House of Representatives accuses the Chinese government of carrying out forced labor for the Uyghurs.
- The Olympic Committee has also come under heavy criticism.
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill banning the import of goods from China’s Xinjiang region. These are supposed to be through forced labour.
428 House members voted in favor of the bill on Wednesday. This requires companies to provide “clear and convincing evidence”. Goods imported from the region must not have been produced by forced labor, for example, by members of the Uyghur minority.
The accusation: persecution of Muslim minorities
“Beijing is currently waging a brutal and ever-accelerating crackdown on the Uyghur people and other Muslim minorities.” On this, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said before the vote. “In Xinjiang and throughout China, millions of people suffer horrific human rights violations.”
It referred to mass surveillance, torture, solitary confinement and enforced sterilization. She added, “The Chinese government’s exploitation of forced labor extends across oceans. As far as our coasts and all over the world.” China has consistently denied allegations of its treatment of Uyghurs.
The US Senate has already passed a similar bill. The two texts must now reconcile with each other. Then President Joe Biden must sign the bill. It is unclear whether the initiative has the support of the White House.
The US House of Representatives criticizes the Olympic Committee
The vote came shortly after the White House announced its diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Washington justified the move by China’s “genocide” against the Uyghur minority, which Beijing strongly rejected.
In a separate vote, the US House of Representatives also passed a resolution. According to this, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has “failed to comply with its human rights obligations”. The decision addresses concerns about the safety of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai. She accused the Chinese Communist Party leader of sexual assault.
Then Bing disappeared from the audience for a while. Later, among other things, I spoke to IOC President Thomas Bach in video calls. The International Olympic Committee has come under fire for its reluctance to take up the issue.
“Award-winning music trailblazer. Gamer. Lifelong alcohol enthusiast. Thinker. Passionate analyst.”
More Stories
Heidi Klum is confused when she appears on American television: this is what Bill Kaulitz says
Prince Harry is facing his next bankruptcy in court
Invictus Games: Prince Harry has to choose between the UK and the USA