Washington — Despite ongoing U.S. sanctions targeting Chinese companies linked to Uyghur forced labor in Xinjiang, United States-based footwear and apparel company Skechers opened a new outlet in Urumqi, the region’s capital. The store opened on September 28, days before Chinese national holiday week, one of the country’s busiest shopping periods. Its opening has drawn criticism from human rights advocates who question Skechers’ decision to expand its presence in a region under international scrutiny and subject to U.S. import bans on goods tied to forced labor. Jewher Ilham, forced labor project coordinator at the Worker Rights Consortium, expressed concern over Skechers’ decision. “By opening a store in the Uyghur region, Skechers is making a shocking statement that it does not care about human rights,” she said. Skechers did not respond to multiple requests for comment from VOA. Xinjiang, in northwest China, has been at the center of international controversy over allegations of human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities, including forced labor, mass incarceration and repression — claims Chinese authorities have consistently denied. Xinjiang produces one-fifth of the world’s cotton. In response, the United States passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act in 2022, which bars goods from Xinjiang unless proven to be free of forced labor. Skechers promoted its Urumqi store opening heavily on Chinese social media, with actor and brand ambassador Donnie Yen encouraging his nearly 130 million followers on Weibo to visit the outlet and explore its “comfortable treasures.” Yen did not respond to multiple media inquiries from VOA regarding his visit to Xinjiang or his views on the treatment of Uyghurs by Chinese authorities. Timothy Grose, an associate professor of China studies at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, pointed out that “from a profit-seeking perspective, of course, Donnie Yen makes sense, especially since nearly 75% of Urumqi’s population is Han Chinese.” “Unfortunately, few Han are either fully aware or are concerned about state violence against the Uyghurs, so I doubt they will be judging Donnie Yen’s appearance with their moral compasses,” he told VOA. Corporate responsibility This isn’t the first time Skechers has faced scrutiny over alleged ties to forced labor in Xinjiang. In response to a 2020 report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute alleging its supplier employed Uyghur workers under coercive conditions, Skechers denied the allegations. The company said audits of its supplier, Dong Guan Lu Zhou Shoes, found no evidence of forced labor, and that Uyghur workers were employed under the same terms as other employees. Skechers’ recent move comes as the U.S. continues to intensify its efforts to eliminate forced labor from global supply chains. On October 2, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security added two more Chinese companies to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, bringing the total number of restricted entities to 75. “Today’s actions reaffirm our commitment to eliminating forced labor from U.S. supply chains and upholding our values of human rights for all,” DHS undersecretary for policy Robert Silvers said in a statement on the DHS website. “No sector is off-limits. We will continue to identify entities across industries and hold accountable those who seek to profit from exploitation and abuse.” Chinese pushback In China, Western companies that publicly declared a break from sourcing products from Xinjiang have long faced backlash from Chinese consumers. In September, PVH, parent company of Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, became the first Western firm investigated by Chinese authorities, who accused the company of violating Chinese law by allegedly halting the purchase of cotton and garments from Xinjiang. Corporate responsibility in Xinjiang has become a contentious issue. Grose pointed out that companies like Skechers may view doing business in Xinjiang and China as a safe financial bet, despite human rights concerns. The company’s actions are a stark reminder that companies should be held accountable not just by governments but by consumers, as well, said Adrian Zenz, a senior fellow and director in China studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. “[B]rands are simply out for profit, with no regard to human rights,” he said. “Western consumers are not showing much outrage over this. There is little backlash, so they will do it,” Zenz said.
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