Ban on Xinjiang cotton looms, fuelling US-China tensions

Bringing an allegation against the Chinese government that Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities were forced to work against their will, U.S. Customs and Border Protection this week could hand down a mandate that would bar imports of cotton and textiles from China’s embattled Xinjiang region.

With sanctions slated to take place later this month, fashion firms have been working around the clock since last month to trace their cotton supply chains and identify how much comes from Xianjiang in case the government sanctions interrupt sourcing.