China Says U.S. 'Doesn't Care About Xinjiang People,' Wants to Suppress Region's Development

In response to the U.S. customs agency blocking imports of polysilicon from Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. for allegedly using forced labor from ethnic minorities in the Xinjiang region, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday said that Washington was using "human rights as a disguise" to "suppress industrial development of Xinjiang."

Zhao Lijian said: "The United States doesn't care at all about the Xinjiang people. Their real plots and sinister intentions are to mess up Xinjiang to contain China," the Associated Press reported.

The U.S. customs agency said an investigation found evidence that workers in the Xinjiang polysilicon industry were intimidated and threatened and their movement restricted.

For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.

Chinese officials reject accusations of forced labor and other abuses against predominantly Muslim groups in Xinjiang. They say detention camps in which as many as 1 million people are held are for job training and to combat radicalism.

The U.S. move is a potential hurdle for President Joe Biden's ambition to promote solar power. Hoshine is one of the biggest global suppliers of polysilicon, a material used to make solar panels.

Zhao said Beijing will "take all necessary measures" to protect its companies but gave no details. Chinese spokespeople have made similar comments in response to earlier U.S. trade sanctions, usually followed by no official action.

Direct imports from Hoshine into the United States over the past 2 1/2 years totaled about $6 million while finished goods that include material from the company were about $150 million, according to the U.S. government.