All Reading
This section contains a curated list of useful articles, investigations, books and other reading materials. The list is updated on a weekly basis and suggestions for additions are welcome.
Starting Points:
US blacklists five more Chinese firms over Uyghur slavery
The companies produce magnesium and copper for export, and are accused of profiting from the slave labor of Uyghurs trapped in what Beijing calls “poverty alleviation” programs.
BMW China parts probe expanded by US Senate panel
The head of the US Senate Finance Committee has expanded an investigation of BMW after the car maker was found to have imported vehicles to America that contained banned Chinese parts.
What’s Next for the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act?
This article analyzes the impact of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act a year since it was signed into law, and next steps for strengthening US sanctions against goods linked to forced labour in Xinjiang.
US House panel urges further action Uyghur forced labor
In a new report, the House Select Committee on China recommended removing a loophole allowing apparel websites to sell clothes in the United States made by Uyghur forced labour.
Nearly $500 million in US imports blocked due to Uyghur forced labor
The acting head of the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said it has already blocked nearly $500 million worth of imports this year because it was made “wholly or in part” by Uyghur forced labor.
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Statistics
This portal provides statistics on shipments subjected to reviews or enforcement actions under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which prohibits the import of any goods sourced or produced wholly or in part in Xinjiang.
Vietnam exporters fret over potential trade fallout of U.S. rules on Xinjiang
Concerned Vietnam-based exporters are seeking to ensure they comply with a U.S. ban on imported products using raw materials from China's Xinjiang.
Forced Uyghur Labor Probably Helped Build Your Car
A new report ties auto manufacturing to Xinjiang’s genocide. Will consumers—and Western countries—care?
Event: Forced Labor Initiatives in the US and EU
Join for a webinar where Steptoe lawyers from the US and EU will be discussing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), the recently-issued EU proposal for a forced labor instrument, and their potential impacts.
China Forced Labor Law Prompts Sweeping Supply Chain Reviews
A new US law that aims to weed out Chinese goods made with forced labor is catching some companies by surprise, triggering a swath of industries to untangle the roots of their hazy supply chains.
Allies seek to follow U.S. lead on Xinjiang forced labor ban -U.S. official
U.S. allies appear committed to following Washington's lead banning forced labor goods from China's Xinjiang region, a senior U.S. official told Reuters, warning companies they could not maintain "deliberate ignorance" about their supply chains.
US ban on imports from China's Xinjiang region takes effect
Tough new US regulations on the import of goods from the Xinjiang region of China have come into effect under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).
China: US Law Against Uyghur Forced Labor Takes Effect
The United States government should vigorously enforce a new law that aims to prevent imports linked to forced labor by Uyghurs and other persecuted groups in China, Human Rights Watch said today.
How the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Became Law
This is the first of five installments in a story documenting the creation and passage of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, the most important component of which goes into effect Tuesday. The story is based on more than 21 hours of interviews with more than two dozen people involved, including lawmakers, staff, and human rights advocates.
Unemployment Monitoring and Early Warning: New Trends in Xinjiang’s Coercive Labor Placement Systems
This new report charts concerning new trends in Xinjiang forced labor as the region now mandates "every able-bodied person to achieve stable employment," and keeps transferred Uyghurs in their place through an unemployment monitoring/surveillance system.
Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Mandates Supply Chain Due Diligence
A big change is coming for companies and brands that source anything from China. Within a few weeks, the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) will come into effect. The law is a direct response to the widespread, well-documented reports of crimes against humanity in the Uyghur regions — and the fact that the reactions from most global brands to the issue have been, to put it lightly, disappointing.
New U.S. Measures on Xinjiang Produced Goods to come into Law June 2022
From June 16, 2022, any company wishing to import goods to the United States from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region will have to demonstrate with “clear and convincing evidence” that the imports do not include forced labour in its supply chain. The new piece of legislation will last 8 years or until the President determines the Xinjiang human rights issues resolved.
New law to combat forced labor in China sparks enforcement debate
President Joe Biden on Thursday signed a bill to curb forced labor in China that U.S. business groups and trade experts warn will inflict unnecessary pain on U.S. firms and punish legitimately employed Uyghur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang region. Designed to insulate U.S. companies and consumers from complicity in forced labor practices in Xinjiang, industry groups and trade lawyers say the law's strict compliance standards coupled with problematic enforcement will harm US business interests and Uyghur Muslims.
Biden signs Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law
President Biden on Thursday signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, a bipartisan bill that bans imports from China’s Xinjiang region unless the importer can prove they were not made with forced labor.
US Congress passes import ban on Chinese Uyghur region
The US Congress has passed a bill that requires companies to prove that goods imported from China's Xinjiang region were not produced with forced labour. The US has accused China of genocide in its repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority there - a charge that China has repeatedly rejected. The bill had been criticised by major companies that do business in the area, including Coca-Cola, Nike and Apple.