China's Ministry of Commerce has pushed back against a US accusation of forced labour in Xinjiang, saying allegations tied to Chinese companies added to a US entity list have no factual basis. The ministry said Washington's move was unsupported and objected to the claim that firms were linked to forced labour practices.
In its response, China said it opposes forced labour and rejected the suggestion that such abuse is taking place in Xinjiang. Officials described the far-western region as stable and prosperous, and said it is free of what they called "forced labour."
The exchange adds to long-running tensions between Beijing and Washington over Xinjiang, where the US has repeatedly raised human rights concerns. China has consistently denied those accusations and has argued that US actions against Chinese entities are politically motivated rather than evidence-based.
Saturday's statement from the Commerce Ministry reinforces Beijing's broader position that restrictions targeting Chinese companies over Xinjiang are unjustified. It also signals that China will continue to contest US measures linked to the region and the forced labour allegations surrounding it.
