The 26 sanctioned companies are not based in Xinjiang, but are accused of sourcing cotton produced in China’s far western region.
This inclusion in the list, which now covers more than 80 firms, aims to “improve transparency and ensure that responsible companies can verify their supply chains and ensure that they do not include products derived from forced labor,” said the United States Department of Homeland Security in a statement.
“Today’s announcement strengthens our application of the UFLPA and requires companies to verify the origin of their products, in order to prevent those resulting from forced labor from entering our territory,” said the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, quoted in the statement.
“We will continue to enforce the law in the technology sector and hold China accountable for its exploitation and abuse of the Uyghur people,” he added.
In a separate statement, National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) president Kim Glas “welcomed” the announcement, calling it “an important step.”
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