US further crackdowns on China over forced labor, bans import of solar materials

 United States of America is not backing down from further strict crackdown steps on China over forced labor practices. On Thursday, the White House announced that it is banning import of China made solar materials as a crackdown on supply chain forced labor in Xinjiang province in China.

US Customs and Border Protection has banned import of silica-based products that are made by Hoshine Silicon Industry Co. and also goods that are made using these products. “The agency has information reasonably indicating that Hoshine uses forced labor to produce its silica-based products,” Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary, said at a news conference.

Polysilicon, a key material used in production of solar panels, is majorly made in Xinjiang making it world’s key supplier. Xinjiang has been accused by the US, as well as global human rights and labor groups for engaging in forced labor and genocide of Uyghur Muslim minority communities among others in the region.

China is dominating leader in global supply chain for materials and parts needed to make solar panels. The latest decision by Biden administration is specially noteworthy as President Biden is pushing for use of solar power in USA to bring down carbon emissions and achieve the climate goals. Now that imports are banned from China, it will prove to be trickly and expensive to procure solar power materials and expand it in the country. Mayorkas addressed the tension around the subject during conference and said, “Our environmental goals will not be achieved on the backs of human beings in a forced-labor environment.”

Commerce Department has banned American companies to trade with Hoshine Silicon Industry Co and four other Chinese entities. Thereby the Labor Department has added polysilicon to the list of materials/ goods that are believed to be produced through forced labor or child labor.

“We’re going to root out forced labor wherever it exists,” Mayorkas said at the news conference, “and we’ll look for alternative products to achieve the environmental impacts that are a critical goal of this administration.”

A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zhao Lijian said that Beijing could retaliate on the latest ban by USA. He said at a regular conference, “The U.S. is using lies as its basis. This act not only violates international trade rules and economic principles, it is also damaging global industry and supply chains.”

Related Posts

Ayswarya Murthy

Ayswarya Murthy is a political journalist. She came to writing through an interest in politics.

Recent Posts

How to Claim a Federal Income Tax Return in the US: Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

The knowledge of how to file a Federal Income tax return in the US is crucial to all individuals who…

January 20, 2026

Is Being “Always Available” the New Face of Wage Theft in Modern Workplaces?

The modern-day working environment has become a constantly connected one, where workers are likely to receive calls, email messages, and…

January 20, 2026

The Invasion of the South: How Saudi-Backed Escalation is Fueling Chaos

For years, the international community has been fed a narrative of “legitimacy” and “security operations” regarding the presence of northern…

January 20, 2026

US Tech Sector Layoffs Hit 15,000 in January as AI Restructuring Accelerates

The year has begun with a stark reality check for the technology industry, as US tech sector layoffs surged past…

January 19, 2026

The most cited statistic at the WEF opening today is from the Future of Jobs 2025 report: “39% of current workforce skills will be obsolete by 2030”

The world of work is on the edge of a historic revolution, with artificial intelligence, geo-economics and green energy change…

January 19, 2026

Fortress Europe 2.0: The “ProtectEU” Strategy

As the European Union enters 2026, the bloc has officially pivoted to a "security-first" doctrine with the full activation of…

January 19, 2026

This website uses cookies.

Read More