China condemns US sanctions on firms added to 'Uyghur forced labor list'

China on Saturday strongly condemned the United States for adding more than 40 Chinese entities to the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, calling the move "economic coercion" and pledging to protect the interests of its companies, according to state-run media.

A spokesperson for China's Commerce Ministry said the US move lacked a factual basis and accused Washington of using allegations of forced labor and human rights abuses as a pretext to impose unilateral sanctions under domestic law, Xinhua News reported.

The ministry said the measures would harm the legitimate rights of Chinese enterprises and disrupt global industrial and supply chains.

The spokesperson also criticized the timing of the sanctions, noting they were announced a day after Chinese and US trade officials held what Beijing described as candid and constructive talks on maintaining stable bilateral economic relations.

China reiterated that it opposes forced labor, rejected allegations of forced labor in the northwestern Xinjiang region, and urged the United States to stop what it called politicization of the issue.

Beijing said it would take necessary measures to safeguard the interests of Chinese companies.

On Friday, the US added 43 Chinese companies to its import blacklist over allegations they are linked to forced labor involving Uyghurs and other minority groups.

The additions, announced under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), mark the first expansion of the entity list under the Trump administration and the largest single addition since the law took effect in December 2021.

Xinjiang is home to more than 10 million Uyghurs. The Turkic Muslim group has long accused China of cultural, religious, and economic discrimination. Beijing has consistently denied allegations of human rights abuses, calling US accusations interference in its internal affairs.