Two farmers follow a self-driven seeding machine on a cotton field in Shihezi, Xinjiang on April 21. Photo: Zhang Dan/GT

The "forced labor" lies spread by some US politicians are purely aimed at suppressing certain Chinese industries to destabilize China's Xinjiang and contain China, and the US practice is nothing but bullying,  the Chinese Foreign Ministry said, on reports that Uniqlo shirts had been blocked at the US border over forced labor concerns. 

There is no such thing as forced labor in Xinjiang, only voluntary employment. The lies spread by some politicians in the US and the West are purely a malicious plot from Western countries and anti-China forces to suppress certain Chinese enterprises and industries under the guise of human rights to destabilize Xinjiang and contain China, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at Wednesday's media briefing. 

Answering a related follow-up question, Zhao said that what the US has done is nothing but bullying, and the relevant companies should stand up and oppose such unreasonable actions by the US. 

Reuters reported on Wednesday that Fast Retailing Uniqlo brand shirts were blocked at the US border in January on concerns they had violated a ban on cotton products produced in China's Xinjiang. 

Global Times