Washington, D.C.— The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) goes into effect today. The new law bans all imports from China’s Xinjiang region unless companies can prove their goods aren’t made with forced labor.
Congress approved the UFLPA nearly unanimously in 2021 because of widespread evidence that forced labor is being used to make a variety of products in the region that are imported into the United States, including new findings this week that forced labor is used throughout China’s battery supply chain.
Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul said:
“The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reject imports from the Xinjiang region of China unless importers can prove their products aren’t made with forced labor.
“While this may be difficult for some importers, it is the right thing to do. From cotton to solar panels to vinyl flooring to car batteries, there’s a growing evidence that the Chinese Communist Party and some companies are using forced labor for vast amounts of production in the region. Congress was right to issue a ban last year.
“Despite widespread bipartisan consensus and overwhelming evidence that forced labor is taking place, we can expect importers will work to weaken this new law. This shouldn’t be a surprise, given their 20-year exploitation of China’s workers and environment. But that doesn’t mean we should listen to them.
“The Biden administration must work to properly enforce the law, and policymakers must double down on efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing and grow critical supply chains. There’s absolutely no reason why the United States must remain dependent on goods made with forced labor.”
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