US bars more food, metal imports over China's alleged forced labour

Washington: The United States banned food, metal and other imports from 30 more companies over China's alleged forced labor involving the Uyghurs, according to a government notice posted online on Friday.

The new additions, covering a range of products from tomato paste and walnuts to gold and iron ore, are part of the federal government's effort to eliminate forced labor practices in the supply chain for goods entering the United States.

The companies listed in the Federal Register were added to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, which restricts the import of goods tied to what the US characterizes as China’s human rights abuses.

US authorities say Chinese authorities have established labor camps for Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups in China’s western Xinjiang region. Beijing has denied any abuses.

The addition of the 30 companies would bring the total number of companies on the list to more than 100 since the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act was signed into law in December 2021.