Xinhua news agency, Beijing, December 25 – the China Cotton Association issued a solemn statement on the 25th, strongly condemning the US government and resolutely opposing the crackdown on China’s cotton textile industry in the name of human rights.
On December 23 US Eastern time, the US side signed the so-called “Uygur forced labor Prevention Act” (hereinafter referred to as the “act”) into law. The act presumes all products produced in Xinjiang as so-called “forced labor” products, and prohibits the import of products related to Xinjiang.
China Cotton Association issued a solemn statement, saying that this move will continue to have a bad impact on China’s cotton textile industry, seriously disrupt the cotton textile production and trade order in China and even the world, and completely ignore that its rude interference will affect the legitimate rights and interests of relevant enterprises and employees all over the world, including China.
The statement pointed out that as a dominant cotton producing area in China, Xinjiang’s cotton output is about 5 million tons all year round. Affected by the rising labor cost, the large-scale and mechanization of cotton production in Xinjiang has made rapid progress in recent years, which has improved the efficiency of agricultural production. In 2021, the cotton machine picking rate in Xinjiang will reach 87.9%.
The statement pointed out that, as the world’s second largest cotton producer, the largest cotton importer and textile producer, China’s cotton textile industry has made great progress since China’s accession to the WTO. From cotton fields to clothing, through participation in global division of labor and cooperation, China has provided people around the world with rich clothing choices from good quality and low price to high-end fashion, It has become an important link in the global textile industry chain.
The statement pointed out that China’s cotton and textile industry has been committed to protecting the rights and interests of workers, continuously improving production and living conditions, improving product quality, and providing stable and reliable supply chain services for global clothing and retail brands, which should be treated fairly. Cotton farmers and textile workers from China, like all ordinary Chinese workers, have improved their family income and living standards through hard work over the years. This is an undeniable fact and the greatest human rights truth in China’s cotton and textile industry.
