Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

The US has persisted in fabricating lies about Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and wantonly suppressing Chinese companies under the pretext of so-called "forced labor." China has expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Thursday.

The remarks came as the US added BGI Genomics Co Ltd, MGI Tech ‌Co Ltd, and Shenzhen BGI Technology Co Ltd to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, a move that bans imports from the three companies, according to a statement posted by the US Department of Homeland Security on its website on Wednesday.

The so-called "forced labor" claim is purely a "lie of the century" concocted by anti-China elements. Its purpose is to destabilize the Xinjiang region, smear China and contain China's development, Guo said. He noted that China urges the US to stop interfering in China's internal affairs and containing China's development under the pretext of "human rights," and will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.