China is Forcing Uyghur Labor
The Claim
China is forcing millions of the Uyghurs Muslims to pick cotton in its fields for the fashion industry under slavery-like circumstances.
News posted on
Emerging story
In December 2020, social media users alleged China is forcing half a million Uyghurs to slavery-conditioned manual labor in picking cotton in its field for the fashion industry. Users claimed there are documents that show hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs being enslaved to pick cotton in Xinjiang for the benefit of the biggest clothing brands of the world.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigation found that the claims are based on valid accusations. The claims are linked to reports that give proof of forcing Uyghurs and other minorities into manual labor allegedly part of a coercive state labor scheme in the Chinese region.
Reports and evidence show hundreds of thousands of ethnic minority laborers are being forced to pick cotton by hand through a coercive state-mandated labor transfer and 'poverty alleviation' scheme in Xinjiang.
According to Reuters the cotton produced by the vast western province- home to 11 million ethnic Uighurs- represents 85% of Chinese cotton production and 20% of the global supply, for the benefit of fashion brands worldwide.
The report published by the Center for Global Policy (CGP) explained in detail the "grueling" work conditions and said that workers are heavily surveilled by government officials and police with "military-style management" and political indoctrination.
The ascending evidence sparked calls from governments to boycott all cotton imported from Xinjiang. According to The Daily Mail, the US banned imports of cotton produced by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, earlier this month.
The Chinese government denied all the allegations, stating that the camps are vocational training centers meant to fight extremism. Foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin explained that "Helping people of all ethnic groups achieve stable employment is completely different from forced labor," in response to accusations that workers are being held to work against their well. Wang said that workers of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are not discriminated against based on ethnicity, gender, or religious beliefs.
