'Human Rights Controversy' Chinese Xinjiang Silk Sold for 110 Billion Won at Canton Fair

At the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) held in Guangzhou, China, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region cotton worth 570 million yuan (approximately 110 billion KRW) was sold.

According to the state-run Global Times (GT) on the 2nd, at the Canton Fair held at the Pazhou Exhibition Center in Guangzhou from the 15th of last month to the 5th of this month, transactions worth 570 million yuan of Xinjiang cotton products were concluded. GT reported that local related companies achieved this result by promoting over 300 types of products. Many of the customers are known to be from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Xinjiang cotton has been a hot issue in the related industry as the United States banned its import due to human rights concerns. In June last year, the U.S. enacted the "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act," which bans the import of Xinjiang products suspected to be produced by forced labor, and has restricted the use of Xinjiang cotton through global apparel companies. Adidas, H&M, Nike, and others are also known not to use Xinjiang cotton, which caused a sharp decline in their sales in China. Regarding this contract, GT stated, "It was concluded amid U.S. politicians continuing to spread lies that Xinjiang cotton is a product of forced labor," and diagnosed that it "raises concerns about U.S. crackdowns on key industries."

Earlier, U.S. lawmakers also blocked the U.S. initial public offering (IPO) of Chinese fast fashion company Shein, citing the use of Xinjiang cotton. According to major foreign media, 24 bipartisan House members, including Democratic Representative Jennifer Wexton and Republican Representative John Rose, sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) demanding the suspension of Shein's IPO until it is confirmed that Shein is not related to forced labor in Xinjiang Uyghur.

This U.S. move also impacted China's textile exports. The state-run Global Times reported, "Due to U.S. slander, China's textile raw materials and apparel exports from January to February this year decreased by 14.1% compared to the previous year."

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Xinjiang's cotton production last year exceeded 5.39 million tons, an increase of 262,000 tons compared to the previous year. This region accounts for 90.2% of China's total cotton production and 25% of the world's production.

Meanwhile, the Canton Fair, held for the first time in three and a half years, is divided into three sessions. The 1st session (April 15?19) features electronics, lighting, vehicle parts, chemical products, and machinery; the 2nd session (April 23?27) showcases daily necessities, handicrafts, and interior decorations; and the 3rd session (May 1?5) exhibits clothing, footwear, leisure goods, pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and food.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.