China Says US Claims of Forced Labour in Xinjiang 'Fabricated'

BEIJING (Sputnik) - China's legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), on Friday pushed back against the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act signed by US President Joe Biden into law, calling all accusations contained in the legislation "fabricated."

"The issue of 'forced labour,' which is raised in this law, is completely fabricated. Under the pretext of protecting human rights, the US authorities interfere in China's internal affairs, the NPC strongly opposes this. If the US continues to neglect the position of the People's Republic of China, China will have to take retaliatory measures," the NPC Foreign Affairs Committee said in a statement.

China strictly complies with international labour laws and domestic legislation, resolutely suppressing any illegal actions in this area, the lawmakers noted, adding that there is no such thing as "forced labour" in the Muslim-dominated region of Xinjiang.

On Thursday, Biden signed the bill banning imports of goods made with the forced labour of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Tibetans, or members of other "persecuted groups" in China.

The US claims that as many as 1.8 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and members of other Muslim minority minorities are imprisoned in a system of extrajudicial mass internment camps, located in Xinjiang and other parts of China, where they are forced to produce various products.

Beijing has repeatedly denied all accusations.