U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said a new law strictly limiting the import of certain goods from China and a strategy to stop the importation of goods produced with forced labor show the U.S.' commitment to human rights.
Sec. Raimondo issued a statement June 21, addressing the implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) and the release of the Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People’s Republic of China. The strategy, produced by the departments of Commerce and Homeland Security in cooperation with other federal agencies, pursues enforcement of an amended tariff act to stop imports from China that were made with forced labor, according to the DOC. It was submitted to Congress June 21, the DOC reports.
“Protecting global human rights is central to our values as Americans," Sec. Raimondo said in the statement, "and today’s implementation of the UFLPA and the recent release of the strategy is a clear message to China and the rest of the global community that the U.S. will take decisive actions against entities that participate in the abhorrent use of forced labor."
Raimondo called the strategy "an extraordinary step forward" in better utilizing the resources and expertise of federal agencies in a coordinated effort to stop goods made with forced labor from entering the country and harming its economy and workforce, the statement records. Raimondo said the DOC will assist U.S. companies monitor their supply chains to lessen the risk of banned goods from entering the country.
The Commerce Department looks forward to collaborating with industry and non-government partners who contributed their voices to help shape this strategy," Raimondo said in the statemet, "and with Congress which took bold, bipartisan action to set the groundwork for this strategy through enactment of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act."
