US pulls back from broad import bans for cotton, tomatoes from China’s Xinjiang – Reuters

The Trump administration rolled back its plans for an import ban on cotton and tomato products from China’s Xinjiang region, although announced a narrower bans on products from five specific entities, per Reuters.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) acting Deputy Secretary Kenneth Cuccinelli said, “the new “Withhold Release Orders” (WROs) on cotton, textiles, apparel, hair products and computer parts are aimed at combating China’s use of forced labor by detained Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang.”

He said the administration was conducting more legal analysis of the region-wide import bans, he added.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) acting Commissioner Mark Morgan said the agency’s investigations into the region-wide orders were continuing.

Last week, a spokesman from the CBP confirmed that the officials were ready with orders to suspend imports of cotton and tomato products from the Xinjiang province over accusations about forced labor.