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Giants Nike and H&M are facing a backlash in China after expressing concern over the alleged use of Uighur forced labor in cotton production in Xinjiang.
Many Chinese have called for a boycott, celebrities have broken ties and e-commerce platforms have quit H&M, according to the BBC. Meanwhile, several Western countries have imposed sanctions on China this week on the grounds that it has committed serious human rights violations against the Uighur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.
Also read: China reacts: 10 EU officials and entities sanctioned by European measures
The sanctions, which include travel bans and an asset freeze, are aimed at senior officials in the Northwest region.
In December, the BBC published a survey showing that the Chinese state forced hundreds of thousands of minorities, including Uighurs, to work manually in the cotton fields of Xinjiang.
Nike and H&M expressed concern in this direction last year, but the statements have now reappeared, following the announcement of Western sanctions.
Both companies said in separate statements that they were “concerned” by reports that Uighurs were forced to harvest cotton in Xinjiang.
But the latest reaction appears to have been sparked by a recent post by the Communist Youth League, a group of the Chinese Communist Party, on social media. “Spreading rumors to boycott cotton in Xinjiang, while you also want to make money in China?“, Is the message posted on Weibo.
Since then, state news agencies have launched campaigns to support Xinjiang’s cotton industry and criticism of the brand.
The state agency CGTN distributed a video on Weibo that would present the reality of the cotton harvest in Xinjiang, in which the activity would be automated. The clip also shows a Uyghur farmer who says that people “fought” to work there, because there are huge profits.
The state-run CCTV channel said H&M had “miscalculated” in trying to be a “hero of justice” and “has to pay a high price for its wrongdoing.”
H&M China published a statement on Weibo on Wednesday saying it “respects Chinese consumers as always” and “does not support any political positions.”
As of Wednesday night, at least three major Chinese online trading platforms, Pinduoduo, JD.com and Tmall, had withdrawn H&M products from sale, according to reports.
Celebrities such as Wang Yibo, Huang Xuan and Victoria Song have issued statements breaking ties with the brands, one of whom claims that “The interests of the country are above all”.
Social networks are being invaded by a huge wave of reactions against both companies and numerous calls to boycott their products. The hashtag “I support Xinjiang cotton” is now the top topic on Weibo, with more than 1.8 billion views.
Hennes & Mauritz have a long-standing relationship with China, which is important to both parties. China is one of H & M’s main sources of supply and it is also a large market.
Publisher: DC
