The Xinjiang Cotton Association has urged both the international community and textile companies to rationally analyse and respond to all anti-Xinjiang statements and actions based on the principles of respecting the facts.
In response to the remarks made by Tadashi Yanai, CEO, Fast Retailing, the parent company of global fashion brand Uniqlo in an interview with BBC, the association said it firmly refuses to accept irrelevant claims.
The association further emphasised, Xinjiang cotton is one of the best in the world and strongly opposes the US for using the so called ‘forced labor’ and other baseless reasons to discredit and boycott Xinjiang cotton and its products.
Xinjiang's unique climate and geographical advantages provide ideal conditions for cotton growth, the association said. It is an essential raw material for China's textile industry and serves as a bridge connecting eastern and Western markets. Xinjiang cotton is recognised for its high quality and people in Xinjiang are hardworking and honest.
Xinjiang cotton not only provides a large amount of high-quality textile raw materials for China and the world, but also helps promote the development of the local economy and offers employment opportunities for local residents. Many families in Xinjiang have thus been able to get rid of poverty and move toward prosperity, it said, adding that under the Belt and Road Initiative, Xinjiang cotton has become an important commodity connecting the world.
However, the US has used the pretext of ‘human rights’ to frequently discredit Xinjiang cotton, attempting to deprive the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang of their right to improve their lives through hard work and employment. The association firmly rejected this, it said.
The cotton industry in Xinjiang has undergone significant transformation, evolving from traditional cotton planting methods to modern techniques. The industry is now focused on centralisation, greening, and intelligent development. The level of mechanisation and automation has continuously improved, with digital technologies being widely applied. The planting mechanisation rate has reached 100 per cent, and the machine-harvesting rate is about 90 per cent. The cotton industry has become a key driver of income growth and wealth creation for the people in Xinjiang, the association said.
