Products from US-banned forced labour in China allowed into Australia

Products that the US deem inhumane – because they are coming from forced labour camps in China – are entering Australia.
Forced labor products from ethnic minorities in China are entering Australia despite U.S. bans on the offending companies.
Freedom of information documents obtained by The Guardian reveal that oppressed Uyghurs and other minorities in East Turkistan (Xinjiang) are producing components used in Sydney Metro trains, car batteries, safety equipment, food additives, and printers.
The federal government told NewsWire that diplomats and ministers have repeatedly raised concerns about Uyghur treatment with Chinese officials. A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson stated, "The Australian government has grave concerns about human rights violations in Xinjiang, including the use of Uyghur forced labor. We have raised these concerns directly with Chinese ministers at the highest level as well as publicly and in multilateral forums."
While the U.S. has publicly blacklisted Chinese companies exploiting ethnic minority forced labor, Australia has been unable to prevent these products from reaching its shores. Freedom of Information documents revealed 3,347 import declarations from eight U.S.-blacklisted companies supplying materials to Australia since 2020. The number of items from these companies has actually increased since the U.S. crackdown, peaking in 2023.
The Sydney Metro components were imported by a subcontractor, who told The Guardian they initiated a specific review of factory working conditions and took "every possible measure to ensure suppliers comply with all laws."
The Chinese regime has been detaining and forcing Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in Xinjiang to work since at least 2018. The Uyghurs, who are more ethnically Central Asian than Chinese and speak a language similar to Turkish, have seen their culture and ethnicity systematically diluted by Chinese government policies. While East Turkiatan (Xinjiang) is technically independent of Beijing, this is not the case in practice.
The Netherlands, UK, Canada, and the US have accused China of committing genocide. In 2022, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong supported a UN High Commission investigation that found credible evidence of torture, ill-treatment, and sexual and gender-based violence that may constitute crimes against humanity.
While Australia has appointed an anti-slavery commissioner and taken steps to reform the Modern Slavery Act, and Australian leaders including Anthony Albanese and Senator Wong have raised human rights concerns directly with Chinese counterparts in November 2024, implementation appears to be lacking. The U.S. recently added 37 more companies to its blacklist for links to Uyghur forced labor, but Australian authorities couldn't confirm whether they had checked this new list against current imports, nor could they provide examples of any products blocked from entering Australia.