H&M, in Xinjiang row, faces backlash
Print Edition
Chinese online retail giants Tmall and JD.com have withdrawn H&M products after screenshots of a statement from the Swedish fashion brand, detailing its commitment to stop using cotton from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region over alleged forced labor concerns, caused an uproar on social media.
Searches for H&M products on both the online shopping sites returned blank yesterday.
The Stockholm-headquartered company said it was “deeply concerned by reports of forced labor and discrimination of ethno-religious minorities in Xinjiang.”
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly refuted allegations of “forced labor” in Xinjiang’s cotton production, pointing out the report was fabricated by infamous anti-China German “scholar” Adrian Zenz.
People on the Chinese social media site Weibo called H&M to leave China and for a boycott of its products.
“It is so shameless to smear Xinjiang and we don’t buy your products,” one person commented.
Comments including “calling H&M quit Chinese market now” and “I will no longer buy” had the most likes.
“Spreading rumors to boycott Xinjiang cotton, while still wanting to make money in China? Wishful thinking!” the Communist Youth League said in a post on Weibo.
In another post, the league referred to remarks made by China’s top diplomat, Yang Jiechi, at a combative meeting with his US counterparts last week in Alaska, where, referring to various US actions, he said the Chinese people “won’t swallow this.” Xinjiang cotton “won’t swallow this,” the league said.
In a response to the social media anger, H&M said late last evening that it was following its commitment to sustainable growth and was not taking political stances.
Actor Huang Xuan said on his Weibo account that he had terminated his contract as an image ambassador for H&M, saying he opposed “slander and creating rumors.”
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