The US bans some imports of solar products from Xinjiang

The US has banned the import of some solar products made by forced labor into Xinjiang, where the Chinese government is accused of committing genocide against Muslim Uighurs and other minorities.

The Biden administration has blocked imports of solar products manufactured by Xinjiang Hoshine Silicon Industry, people report on the ban.

He also added five more companies that manufacture polysilicon – a raw material used by the solar industry – in the “list of entities” of the trade department, which requires US companies to obtain a government license before doing business with them, people added.

The ban is the latest attempt by the Biden administration to put pressure on the Chinese government internally more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in the northwestern Xinjiang region.

This year, the United States worked with the EU, Canada and the United Kingdom impose sanctions about Chinese officials on Xinjiang.

John Kerry, the top envoy to the Biden climate administration, told Congress last month that the U.S. was studying more sanctions, but did not make it clear whether this would involve banning solar imports or measures against U.S. officials. Beijing.

The Trump administration last year imposed bans similar to the cotton import and tomatoes from Xinjiang. Businesses, from clothing retailers to solar panel manufacturers, are pushing harder and harder to ensure that no forced labor is used in their supply chains.

Congress is also studying legislation that would oblige companies to ensure their supply chains do not depend on forced labor in Xinjiang.

Chinese officials and investigators have described the allegations of forced labor as a U.S. ploy to undermine the international competitiveness of the country’s solar industry.

The Foreign Ministry recently rejected those who made accusations of forced labor in the solar supply chain as “black hands” with an anti-China agenda. “Its goal is to cook up lies about forced labor in order to force job loss and decoupling with Xinjiang,” he said.

An article published last month by the Beijing-based China Going Global Think Tank argued that the US was trying to “suppress the Chinese photovoltaic industry and promote the development of the local industry, as well as effectively gain a global leadership position.”

Speaking to the Financial Times before the solar ban ended, John Smirnow, a senior executive at the Solar Energy Industries Association, said his group “sounded the alarm since last year” because of concerns that Washington repress imports.

Smirnow said U.S. solar companies had “quite significant” exposure in Xinjiang until a year ago, but that companies had greatly reduced the proportion of these products in their supply chains.

He said companies realized it would be very difficult to convince customs to allow any solar imports from Xinjiang.

“At this time, due to the impossibility of conducting an independent third-party audit in Xinjiang on forced labor, it will be almost impossible to convince customs if you have a panel or product from that region.”