Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) The US has blocked shipments of solar panel components from the Chinese Xinjiang region over slave labour concerns, with the EU to follow suit.
Customs officials and industry sources reminded that the US adopted new regulations in June to ban imports from the region where the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) runs Uyghur detention camps, according to a Reuters report on Friday.
US authorities seized more than 1,000 shipments of solar panel components from the region in the period between 21 June and 25 October, following the US’ adoption of the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act.
US Customs and Border Protection noted that none of the 1,053 shipments has been released thus far and stressed that it cannot identify manufacturers or provide more information, pointing to the confidentiality of trade secrets.
However, three industry sources say the seized shipments include solar panel components largely made by LONGi Green Energy Technology, Trina Solar and JinkoSolar Holding.
The three companies combined account for roughly one-third of US solar panel supplies. Sources pointed out that the companies stopped new shipments to the US to avoid further seizures.
The CCP denies any abuses in Xinjiang. It initially denied that Uyghur camps exist in the region, but stated after satellite images showed the construction and operation of the camps that the buildings are “vocational training centres.”
New approach
Chinese authorities now say that these camps are a necessary component of their fight against separatism, terrorism and religious radicalism in the region.
According to the CCP, claims that China uses forced labour in Xinjiang are “fabricated by a small group of anti-China individuals.”
China, which accounts for roughly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions and is scaling up its construction of new coal-fired power plants, says that forced labour concerns would have negative effects on the fight against climate change.
Zhao Lijian, the spokesman of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated “the US side should immediately stop the unreasonable suppression of China’s photovoltaic enterprises and release the seized solar panel components as fast as possible.”
According to US regulations, all imports from Xinjiang are presumed to have been made with forced labour and makers must prove otherwise.
The EU proposed a similar ban on imports from Xinjiang but has not adopted new rules.
