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The Department of Homeland Security has announced that three Chinese companies have now been added to a list of entities whose products are banned from being exported to the United States for their connection to forced labor.
This move targets key sectors within Xinjiang’s economy—specifically seafood, aluminum, and footwear—as part of ongoing efforts to combat forced labor under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). According to the Department of Homeland Security, the newly banned companies include Dongguan Oasis Shoes Co. Ltd. (shoe manufacturing), Shandong Meijia Group Co. Ltd. (processing and selling frozen seafood products and other aquatic foods), and Xinjiang Shenhuo Coal and Electricity Co. Ltd. (producing electrolytic aluminum, graphite carbon, and prebaked anodes).
In a statement, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said, “The Department of Homeland Security will not tolerate forced labor in U.S. supply chains and will enforce our laws across all industries and sectors. We will continue to investigate companies that use or facilitate forced labor and will hold those entities responsible. We urge stakeholders across industry, civil society and our international partners to work with us to eliminate the scourge of forced labor.” In addition to enforcing the ban, Mayorkas has called upon industry stakeholders and international partners to educate themselves about forced labor in supply chains and to collaborate in efforts to eradicate this practice.
This development comes as the US has barred 68 entities from exporting into the country due to concerns over forced labor. The companies on this list have reportedly participated in labor transfer programs that exploit individuals from persecuted groups, including Uyghurs.
Digging Deeper:
Accusations against the Chinese government regarding the Uyghurs and forced labor center around claims that the government has detained over a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang detention camps. These detainees are reportedly subjected to forced labor, particularly in the cotton and textile industries, under the guise of vocational training programs. Human rights organizations and various governments have alleged that this constitutes a severe violation of human rights, involving coerced labor, physical and psychological abuse, and the suppression of religious and cultural practices. The Chinese government has consistently denied these accusations, asserting that the camps are vocational training centers aimed at combating extremism and alleviating poverty.
