The United States imposes measures on companies in China

Washington The US government has blacklisted several companies in China for allegedly suppressing the Uyghur Muslim minority. On Friday, the US Department of Commerce announced that 14 China-based companies have supported human rights abuses against Uyghurs in Xinjiang and other minorities.

A total of 34 companies were placed on the list because, according to the US government, they engage in activities contrary to US foreign policy and national security interests. This also includes companies that are said to have engaged in unauthorized trade with Iran and Russia or have supported the Chinese military.

US companies are not allowed to do business with the companies on the list without special permission. “The Department of Commerce remains determined to take strong and decisive action to target companies that enable human rights abuses in Xinjiang (…),” said Commerce Minister Gina Raimondo, according to the statement. The United States has already put companies on this list in the past that it believes allow human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Experts and human rights organizations estimate that up to one million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Hui or other members of Muslim minorities have been sent to re-education camps in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. The Beijing government accuses Uighur groups of separatism and terrorism. Critics speak of re-education camps in which Uyghurs are placed on the Communist Party line by sometimes brutal means. Minorities were also reported to perform forced labour.