China expands forced labor under Xinjiang aid

China continues to expand its forced labor activities in East Turkistan under the guise of so-called "Xinjiang aid." For many years, the Chinese authorities have used slogans such as "Xinjiang aid" and "development of the western regions" to settle Chinese residents in East Turkistan. As part of this approach, the Chinese government has signed new contracts with Chinese companies to relocate them to the region, further strengthening forced labor against the people of East Turkistan.
According to a report published by the Chinese Tanritag website on December 10, an event titled "Xinjiang aid through projects" was held in Hotan City, attended by government agencies and companies from 19 provinces and cities directly under the central government, as well as more than 400 companies. The event resulted in the signing of 105 agreements with a total value of more than 122.9 billion yuan. The agreements covered areas such as investment, labor export, and demand-oriented vocational training.
SUSPICIOUS PROJECTS TO PROMOTE FORCED LABOR
The agreements covered various sectors such as new energy, advanced materials, green mining, and electronic technologies. Prominent among these projects are labor export agreements that have raised questions about the extent of the exploitation of the people of East Turkistan. Over the past years, China has organized the transfer of forced labor from rural areas to Chinese companies, which is a continuation of the crime of forced labor.
In a related development, the cities of Korla, Karamay, and Gulja have hosted similar events aimed at attracting more Chinese companies to invest in the region, with slogans of development and prosperity used to justify these suspicious activities.
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AMID PROPAGANDA
China faces increasing criticism from the international community for its human rights violations in East Turkistan, including policies of genocide, forced labor, and restrictions on religious freedoms. Despite this, China continues to deny these violations through systematic propaganda campaigns and hosts paid visits by international officials to present a different picture of reality.
MOUNTING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE
In light of these violations, the United States passed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prohibition Act in 2022, which imposes severe restrictions on products manufactured in East Turkistan. Under this law, all products from East Turkistan are considered to be the product of forced labor, which has led to the inclusion of many Chinese companies and officials on international sanctions lists.
CONTINUED EXPLOITATION OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Despite international pressure, China continues to export its products through massive infrastructure projects such as railways. Reports indicate that the number of commercial trains between China and Europe across the East Turkistan border exceeded 10,000 trips by August 2024, showing the continued exploitation of forced labor to meet international demand.
These violations are evidence of China’s escalating repression in East Turkistan, where systematic policies are being practiced against the people of East Turkistan amid ongoing calls from the international community to hold China accountable and impose stricter restrictions on its economic activities.