US microchip maker Intel has apologised following a backlash over its letter urging suppliers not to source products or labour from China’s Xinjiang region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The company’s letter sparked criticism in China, with calls for a boycott.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The letter said Intel had been “required to ensure” its supply chain did not use labour or source goods from Xinjiang, following restrictions imposed by “multiple governments”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
China has been accused of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The region is home to many of country’s Muslim Uyghur population and there have been allegations of forced labour and possibly genocide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In December last year, the BBC published an investigation based on new research showing China was forcing hundreds of thousands of minorities, including Uyghurs, into manual labour in Xinjiang’s cotton fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a Chinese-language statement on its official WeChat and Weibo accounts, Intel said that its commitment to avoid supply chains from Xinjiang was an expression of compliance with US law, rather than a statement of its position on the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We apologise for the trouble caused to our respected Chinese customers, partners and the public. Intel is committed to becoming a trusted technology partner and accelerating joint development with China,” the firm said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The White House said President Joe Biden signed into a law a bill that requires companies to prove that goods imported from China’s Xinjiang region have not been produced with forced labour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bill was passed by Congress last week with the aim of stopping US companies from benefitting from forced labour, something which China denies is the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many Weibo users derided Intel’s apology as an attempt at protecting sales in China, with one saying: “A mistake is a mistake! Retract the statement about Xinjiang!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, the hashtag “Is Intel’s apology sincere?” was trending on Weibo on Thursday, Reuters reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Singer Karry Wang said he would no longer serve as brand ambassador for Intel, adding in a statement that “national interests exceed everything”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Intel is not the first company to come under pressure over aims to comply with sanctions related to Xinjiang while continuing to operate in China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
‘Sensitive issue’
Retail giants Nike and H&M faced a backlash earlier this year after they expressed concern about the alleged use of Uyghur forced labour in cotton production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Intel, which has 10,000 employees in China, said in its apology that it respected “the sensitivity of the issue in China”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry said “accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang are lies concocted by anti-China American forces” aimed at destabilising China and hindering its development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We note the statement and hope the relevant company will respect facts and tell right from wrong,” said foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
US microchip maker Intel has apologised following a backlash over its letter urging suppliers not to source products or labour from China’s Xinjiang region. The company’s letter sparked criticism in China, with calls for a boycott. The letter said Intel had been “required to ensure” its supply chain did not use labour or source goods […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-684","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n