China News Service, December 25. The China Cotton Association website issued on the 25th the "Statement on Strongly Condemning the US Government's Suppression of China's Cotton Textile Industry in the Name of Human Rights" (hereinafter referred to as the "Statement").
The "Statement" pointed out that on December 23, the U.S. government signed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act into law. The bill used the so-called "forced labor" as an excuse to ban the import of all products from Xinjiang, China, and grossly interfere in China's internal affairs. , Will continue to have a bad influence on my country's cotton textile industry.
In this regard, the China Cotton Association strongly condemns and firmly opposes it.
Screenshot of China Cotton Association website
The "Statement" pointed out that starting from 2020, the US government has used various measures such as issuing Xinjiang-related supply chain reports, listing entities, and issuing import bans to restrict the import of cotton-related products from Xinjiang, causing huge economic losses and damage to related companies. The extremely bad influence severely damaged the reputation of Xinjiang and even my country's cotton textile industry.
According to the "Statement", Xinjiang, as a dominant cotton production area in my country, has a cotton output of around 5 million tons per year.
Affected by rising labor costs, the large-scale and mechanization of cotton production in Xinjiang has progressed rapidly in recent years. Precision seeding, drip irrigation under the film, drone spraying, and cotton picking machines have greatly reduced the labor intensity of cotton farmers. , Improve the efficiency of agricultural production.
In 2021, the mechanical harvest rate of cotton in Xinjiang is as high as 87.9%, and the average net income of cotton farmers is expected to exceed 1,500 yuan/mu. This will become the main source of income increase for local farmers in Xinjiang, especially in southern Xinjiang Hotan, Aksu, Kashgar, Kezhou and other Uyghur areas. source.
Xinjiang's cotton textile production capacity is about 20.38 million spindles, and the yarn output is 1.95 million tons, which will solve about 600,000 local jobs.
As the world’s second largest cotton producer, largest cotton importer and textile producer, my country’s cotton textile industry has made great progress since its entry into the WTO. From cotton fields to clothing, through participation in the global division of labor and collaboration, it has provided the people of the world with a good product. A wealth of clothing choices ranging from cheap to high-end fashion have become a pivotal link in the current global textile industry chain.
China's cotton and textile industries have been committed to protecting the rights and interests of workers, continuously improving production and living conditions, improving product quality, and providing stable and reliable supply chain services for global apparel and retail brands, and they should be treated fairly.
Cotton farmers and textile workers from China, like all ordinary Chinese workers, have increased family income and improved living standards through hard work over the years. This is an undeniable fact and the biggest truth about human rights in China's cotton and textile industry.
The "Statement" emphasizes that for political purposes, the US government has continuously issued administrative orders and bills against Xinjiang cotton under the name of so-called "forced labor", which has severely disrupted the cotton textile production and trade order in China and even the world, completely ignoring its gross interference. It will affect the legitimate rights and interests of related companies and practitioners around the world, including China.
China's cotton and textile industries will continue to adhere to opening up and cooperation. External suppression and slander cannot and will not hinder the high-quality and sustainable development of China's cotton and textile industries in the future.