In January, America asked various brands to ban cotton imports from the Xinjiang district due to human rights violations. The statement had a massive impact on China’s exports. However, China always opposed such statements and said that these allegations are falsified. To support this narrative, China’s Ministry of Commerce organized a trip to visit the Xinjiang district comprised of 16 International representatives. The delegates went on a tour in Kashgar, Aksu, Urumqi, and Shihezi, where they inspected local cotton mills and new-energy, agricultural processing, and machinery firms. Among the attractions they visited were the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, the local naan industrial and cultural park, the ancient city of Kashgar, and the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar.
The International delegation toured a cotton mill in Awat County, Aksu Prefecture, where they praised the use of drones, drip irrigation facilities, and cotton pickers, enabling local farmers to plant cotton more efficiently. The inspection presented the delegation with the continued upgrading of the local cotton sector, the sustained technological innovation, and the vitality of the local business community, the MOFCOM disclosed.
After this successful visit, it is hoped that related apparel companies and retailers will uphold market rules, correct their wrong practices and avoid politicization of commercial issues, stated Gao, after a number of foreign enterprises including H&M were found to have boycotted Xinjiang cotton. The Ministry said that the Chinese government has always welcomed and supported the normal business activities of multinational enterprises in China and their efforts to build industry supply chains.
