The US House of Representatives passed legislation named the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, with the overwhelming majority of 428 votes in favor and only one against it.
Once it is passed by the Senate and signed by the president, it will stop the US from importing Chinese goods that involve forced labor of the Uyghur Muslim community.
House passed a bill against forced labor in China
Jim McGovern, a Democrat senator from Massachusetts, noted lawmakers from both parties agree on the bill, which suggests it is a moral issue. Reportedly, China is using the Muslim community of the Uyghur in its bid to create goods that are imported worldwide.
The US also urged other countries, including Canada and Mexico, to do the same to strangle the Chinese economy. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican, mentioned every single person in Congress possesses something manufactured by slaves of Xinjiang.
Likewise, he asserted most people have no idea about it. Rubio, the man behind the landmark legislation, stressed all products being manufactured by forced labor in Xinjiang would be banned until the manufacturers can prove their innocence.
Calling the passage of the bill a “moral obligation,” McGovern said no American wants to buy these types of products being made by genocidal practices.
The House passed 30+ bills yesterday. All but ONE were sent to the Senate for a vote. It’s the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act—which cracks down on goods made with Chinese slave labor.
Why is Speaker Pelosi dragging her feet? What does the Chinese Communist Party have on her?
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) December 10, 2021
Legislative sanctions came in parallel with the Olympics diplomatic boycott
Last week, Rubio mentioned some corporate interests are forcing Biden not to back this bill, so he is already conspiring against it in the Senate.
In addition to that, the Republican lawmaker noted the US special envoy for climate, John Kerry, pushed some lawmakers to vote against the bill; according to Kerry, it could impact US climate talks with China.
Contrary to this, the State Department denied these allegations, stating Kerry has a record of defending human rights across the globe in his capacity of being a senator and the Secretary of State.
This attempt to censure China came in the backdrop of the diplomacy summit, where global leaders belonging to more than 100 countries gathered. China and Russia were two major countries not invited to the summit.
It is widely believed the whole event was staged to deter rising Chinese human rights abuses.
It's important to take decisive action against #China and the #CCP for the atrocities committed against the Uyghurs.
I commend my colleague @RepMcGovern for his work in getting the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which I proudly co-sponsored, through the House last night.
— Rep. Carlos A. Gimenez (@RepCarlos) December 9, 2021
Not only this, but the United States recently announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics, which encouraged other nations to do the same. Canada, the UK, and Australia already boycotted the event on a diplomatic level after the US announcement.
The White House has not yet confirmed whether the president would sign the bill into law; however, the White House noted Biden has deep concerns about Chinese human rights violations.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi noted her record of supporting human rights is cleaner than anybody else’s.
From 2017 to 2019, China moved 80,000 individuals of its Uyghur Muslim minorities from Xinjiang to other regions of the country; these workers are forcefully used in some top-notch corporate giants, including Apple, Nike, and Samsung.
