U.S. Bans Imports From Two Chinese Companies Over Forced Labor Concerns

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has added two Chinese companies to its Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, alleging their involvement in forced labor practices in China's Xinjiang region. The companies, Baowu Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co. Ltd and Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co. Ltd, are the first steel manufacturer and aspartame sweetener business to be targeted by U.S. law enforcement under the UFLPA.

The UFLPA Entity List, which is updated periodically, identifies entities that the U.S. government believes are involved in forced labor practices in Xinjiang. The addition of these two companies marks a significant expansion of the U.S. effort to prevent products tied to human rights abuses from entering the country.

Baowu Group Xinjiang Bayi Iron and Steel Co. Ltd is accused of working with the government of Xinjiang to recruit, transport, transfer, harbor, or receive forced labor or Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, or members of other persecuted groups out of Xinjiang. Changzhou Guanghui Food Ingredients Co. Ltd is alleged to source material from Xinjiang for purposes of the “poverty alleviation” program or the “pairing-assistance” program, or any other government labor scheme that uses forced labor.

Robert Silvers, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Policy, stated, "Today’s actions reaffirm our commitment to eliminating forced labor from U.S. supply chains and upholding our values of human rights for all. No sector is off-limits. We will continue to identify entities across industries and hold accountable those who seek to profit from exploitation and abuse."

The UFLPA Entity List now includes a total of 75 companies accused of using forced labor in Xinjiang or sourcing materials tied to that forced labor.