Workers are busy at the factory of Zhuolang Intelligent Machinery Co., Ltd. in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 22, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)
There is no "forced labor" at enterprises in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said Elijian Anayit, spokesperson for the information office of the Xinjiang regional government.
In a published article, Adrian Zenz claimed that there is "forced labor" at a number of textile and clothing companies in Xinjiang, causing some countries and enterprises to decrease or even stop importing cotton and cotton products from Xinjiang. Some cotton farmers and processing enterprises in Xinjiang have suffered resulting economic losses.
A number of Xinjiang enterprises and locals are now suing Zenz for economic losses and damage to their reputations, the result of his rumors concerning "forced labor" in Xinjiang.
Based on the principles of equality and voluntariness, workers of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang sign labor contracts with employers and receive legal payments in accordance with China's labor law and regulations, according to Elijian Anayit.
There is no discrimination against workers on the basis of ethnicity, gender, or religious belief, he said.
Adrian Zenz is a member of a far-right group established by the U.S. government, and a senior member of an anti-China research institution set up and manipulated by U.S. intelligence agencies. He is making a living by fabricating lies concerning China and slandering China, the spokesperson added.