Companies should shun anti-China ploys: China Daily editorial

It was reported on Tuesday that US senators Marco Rubio and Jeff Merkley sent a letter to the US Solar Energy Industries Association, pressuring the latter to detail measures ensuring that its member companies do not use solar products made with "forced labor" in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

On March 19, two bills, titled Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act (HR 1155 and S 65), were reintroduced in the US Congress, aimed at banning all goods produced in whole, or in part, in Xinjiang unless importers can prove that they were not made with "forced labor".

One day before that, some US senators even pushed for a bill that would revoke China's permanent normal trade relations status with the United States. Again the reason given was "forced labor" in Xinjiang. It seems some Western politicians are no longer content with just telling lies and spreading rumors about Xinjiang. They are trying — repeatedly — to tie the enterprises from their countries to their chariots against China.

Some companies have caved in to the pressure being applied by the political forces seeking to use business as a means to give a veneer of substance to their disinformation campaign. The Swedish multinational clothing-retail company Hennes & Mauritz posted a "statement" on its official website, announcing that it does not work with any factory based in Xinjiang. But by doing so, it is only hurting itself and its customers.

Western companies and consumers face heavy losses because their politicians are recklessly wielding double-edged swords in their campaign to claim the moral high-ground from which to assail China.

Companies and consumers should not let themselves be dragged into the self-serving expediencies of these anti-China Western politicians.

When the business representatives of Western companies travel to Xinjiang for purchasing purposes, they will get to know the reality of the situation in the region. On their return, they should tell the truth to the public, so that the latter won't be misled by the rumor-mongering of their politicians.

These malicious tongue-waggers have seized on the so-called evidence of what are falsely claimed to be internal documents and victim statements and distorted Chinese official documents and data to impute that China is morally bankrupt, sullying the reputation and dignity of not only the Chinese government but also the Chinese people.

Those politicians spreading lies about Xinjiang should still their tongues until they learn how to respect others and how to avoid making policy based on rumors and lies.