Published:

April 22, 2021, 17:08 GMT

Washington has imposed economic restrictions on businesses in this northwestern region of China due to the alleged use of forced labor by local residents.

Exports from the Chinese region of Xinjiang to the United States doubled in the first quarter of 2021 despite the sanctions imposed by Washington on local producers, Made it known This Thursday, the South China Morning Post with reference to the data of the General Administration of Customs of China.

According to the media, the first three months of 2021 witnessed an increase of 113% compared to the previous year, totaling $ 64.4 million. Although this result can be explained by starting from a lower base due to the lockdown of China in the first months of 2020, it should be noted that the number is still 46.5% more compared to the data for the first quarter of 2019.

The annual numbers are part of a broader current trend of increased Chinese exports that should be an indicator of economic recovery after the lockdown related to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Explanations of the phenomenon

Despite this rise, the value of exports from Xinjiang is negligible compared to the total trade between the two countries in the first quarter of 2021 ($ 119.2 billion).

According to Chris Rogers, analyst at commercial data company Panjiva, the amount isIt is very small It could reflect something trivial like direct shipments of e-commerce or private imports rather than reflecting sustainable business activity. ”

At the same time, the growth could also indicate that economic agents rushed to implement all of their transactions Before a complete ban takes place A product of Xinjiang covered by a bill is being processed by the US Senate.

Tensions over Xinjiang

Recently, the Asian giant has been under criticism from abroad for alleged violations of the rights of Muslim communities in Xinjiang. In December 2020, United States Prohibited Cotton import Local companies allegedly using forced labor by locals.

From Washington’s perspective, restrictive measures could induce Beijing to change its stance on the region. For its part, the Chinese authorities have repeatedly denied these allegations and described the speech of Western countries as “interference” in their internal affairs.