China Imposes Sanctions on US Company and Researchers Over Xinjiang Work (Photo: WSJ)
Beijing’s Sanctions Target US Company Kharon and Human Rights Researchers, Adding Fuel to the Ongoing Conflict Over Xinjiang
In reaction to two human rights researchers’ work on Xinjiang, China has imposed sanctions on an American corporation. At a routine news conference in Beijing, spokeswoman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry Mao Ning announced the measures.
The targeted Los Angeles-based company, Kharon, specializing in identifying sanctions and compliance risks for organizations, will have any assets in China frozen. Similarly, Mr. Edmund Xu, the company’s director of investigations, and Ms. Nicole Morgret have been barred from entering China, with their assets in the country frozen as well.
The sanctions serve as an escalation in the ongoing dispute between China and the US over allegations of forced labor in Xinjiang. Additionally, Chinese companies have been prohibited from engaging with Kharon, Mr. Xu, or Ms. Morgret. While these actions are largely symbolic due to the limited business or property holdings of Kharon and the two individuals in China, the sanctions mark a noteworthy development in the conflict between the two nations.
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Kharon has emphasized its commitment to provide objective, independent, and reliable research and data analytics, despite the sanctions. The company has published articles shedding light on issues such as the alleged risk of forced labor links in Xinjiang through sportswear company suppliers. Furthermore, the Centre for Advanced Defence Studies has credited Ms. Morgret with contributing to a paper that highlighted the exposure of major US companies to suppliers obtaining gold from firms exhibiting risk indicators of forced labor.
The announcement of these sanctions follows the US’s recent decision to sanction Chinese officials linked to human rights abuses against minority groups, including Uighurs in Xinjiang. The tit-for-tat nature of these actions reflects the ongoing tensions between the two nations regarding human rights violations and forced labor in Xinjiang.
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