Overseas Companies: Xinjiang

(asked on 1st July 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what advice his Department has given British companies operating supply chains in Xinjiang in response to President Biden changing import controls by placing Withhold Release Orders against Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. Ltd; and whether his Department is working with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to add new companies to the sanctions list in light of the most recent WRO.


Answered by
Paul Scully Portrait
Paul Scully
This question was answered on 9th July 2021

All British businesses should take heed of the updated Overseas Business Risk (OBR) guidance on Xinjiang to understand the human rights risks associated with sourcing from that region and to take appropriate remedial action based on their circumstances. The government is engaging businesses to help them understand what this guidance means for them. The Department for International Trade continues to provide practical support to British businesses operating in China, and is happy to answer questions from businesses about this guidance.

On 22 March, my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, announced that the UK has imposed, under our Global Human Rights sanctions regime, asset freezes and travel bans against four Chinese government officials, as well as the Public Security Bureau of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, the organisation responsible for enforcing the repressive security policies across many areas of Xinjiang. These measures were taken alongside the US, Canada and the EU, sending a clear message to the Chinese Government that the international community will not turn a blind eye to such serious and systematic violations of basic human rights. We keep all evidence and potential listings under close review.

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