Washington [US], October 3 : The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), announced the addition of two China-based entities to the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List bringing the new total of the US maintained list to 75.
"These additions build on DHS's commitment to eradicate forced labor and promote accountability for the PRC's ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR)," the US Department of Homeland Security stated.
This demonstrates a strong and united resolve of standing against Uyghur-forced Forced Labour rampant in the East Turkistan region.
The list is maintained by the US to eradicate forced labour and promote accountability for the PRC's ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), a statement by the DHS read.
The products of these entities are prohibited from entering the United States. The steel and aspartame companies added to the UFLPA Entity List are Baowu Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. and Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co. Ltd.
The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro N Mayorkas, while highlighting the matter, stated, "The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act is the Biden-Harris Administration's most powerful tool to combat forced labor and hold its perpetrators to account. The UFLPA is catalyzing American businesses to fully examine and assess their supply chains and setting a new standard for our international partners as we work together to eradicate forced labour from the global economy. The Department of Homeland Security will continue to add exploitative companies to the UFLPA Entity List, enforce the law, and uphold the values of the United States."
The companies added to the UFLPA Entity List include companies that are active in the apparel, agriculture, polysilicon, plastics, chemicals, batteries, household appliances, electronics, and food additives sectors, among others.
Identifying these additional entities provides US importers with more information to conduct due diligence and examine their supply chains for risks of forced labour to ensure compliance with the UFLPA. Departments aligning with the DHS list include the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), the Office of the US Trade Representative and the US Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor, State, and the Treasury.
Additionally, the DHS Under Secretary for Policy Robert Silvers, said, "Today's actions reaffirm our commitment to eliminating forced labour from U.S. supply chains and upholding our values of human rights for all. No sector is off-limits. We will continue to identify entities across industries and hold accountable those who seek to profit from exploitation and abuse."
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