There have been longstanding tensions in the Xinjiang province
of China between the Chinese government and the Uyghurs, a
predominately Muslim ethnic group. The UN estimates that there are
more than 1 million Uyghurs in detention camps, and there are
reports of pervasive surveillance, wide-spread forced-labor, and
"re-education" programs.
These human rights abuses present significant risks for
companies whose supply chains include products from Xinjiang.
Xinjiang produces the majority of China's cotton, and cotton
from Xinjiang may be mixed with cotton from other regions (or not
be labeled as being from Xinjiang). Because of this, some
companies, such as Target Australia, have reported that they will
no longer source cotton from China. Several other products that may
be integrated into global supply chains are produced in Xinjiang,
including tomato paste and sugar.
