US begins to enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act

21-06-2022

Roberta Amoriello

China and Human Rights Researcher  

Global Human Rights Defence

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2021, has taken effect on June 21, 2022. Aiming to prevent imports linked to forced labor by Uyghurs and other persecuted groups, it establishes a rebuttable presumption that the import of any good produced or manufactured in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is prohibited. In fact, unless the company gives “clear and convincing evidence” that no component was produced with slave labor, imports from the region will be banned.

According to Human Rights Watch, given the complexity of most companies’ supply chains and the lack of reliable third-party auditors in China who can assess whether specific goods are made with forced labor, businesses will likely abandon suppliers in the region entirely. Robust enforcement of the law would therefore constitute a message to businesses, China, and the American public that the US government will not ignore the atrocities committed against the Uyghur people.

Sources and further reading:

U.S. Custom and Border Protection, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, 17 June 2022, from: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/forced-labor/UFLPA?language_content_entity=en

Human Rights Watch,  China: US Law Against Uyghur Forced Labor Takes Effect, 20 June 2022, from:  https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/06/20/china-us-law-against-uyghur-forced-labor-takes-effect

Voa News, US Begins Enforcement of Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, 20 June 2022, from:https://www.voanews.com/a/us-begins-enforcement-of-uyghur-forced-labor-prevention-act/6625593.html

BBC News, “US ban on imports from China's Xinjiang region takes effect”, 21 June 2022, from: https://www.bbc.com/news/business-61754796