US To Block Imports From China’s Xinjiang

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US. Customs and Border Protection officials have prepared orders to block imports of cotton and tomato products from western China’s Xinjiang region-
Over allegations they are produced with forced labor.
The Trump administration announcement of the actions, initially expected on Tuesday,
Has been put off until later this week because of “scheduling issues,” a CBP spokesman said.
The “Withhold Release Orders” allow the CBP to detain shipments based on suspicion of forced-labor involvement
Under long-standing U.S. laws aimed at combating human trafficking, child labor and other human rights abuses.

About the forced labour

President Donald Trump’s administration is ratcheting up pressure on China over its treatment of Xinjiang’s Uighur Muslims.
The United Nations has said it has credible reports that 1 million Muslims have been detained in camps in the region, where they are put to work.

China denies mistreatment of the Uighurs and says the camps are vocational training centers needed to fight extremism.

The cotton and tomato bans along with five other import bans over alleged Xinjiang forced-labor abuses
Would be an unprecedented move by CBP and likely stoke tensions between the world’s two largest economies.
The effective import bans would apply to the entire supply chains-
Involving cotton, including cotton yarn, textiles and apparel,
As well as tomatoes, tomato paste and other products exported from the region.

The bans could have far-reaching effects for U.S. retailers and apparel producers, as well as food manufacturers.
In July, Washington issued an advisory saying companies doing business in Xinjiang or with entities using Xinjiang labor could be exposed to “reputational, economic, and legal risks.”

China produces about 20% of the world’s cotton and most of it comes from Xinjiang.
China also is the world’s largest importer of cotton, including from the United States.
The impact may be limited as China brings in about 2 million tonnes of cotton and 2 million tonnes of cotton yarn from abroad each year.
Xinjiang’s output is about 5 million tonnes.
If Xinjiang cotton goes to the domestic industry and non-Western markets, the impact may be limited,
it can probably still be digested