U.S. move to blacklist Chinese entities aims to undermine Xinjiang's prosperity, stability: FM spokesperson

BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. move to blacklist Chinese entities and go after more Chinese companies is aimed at undermining Xinjiang's prosperity and stability and containing China's development, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Wednesday.

The spokesperson said that the allegation of "forced labor" in Xinjiang is nothing but an enormous lie propagated by anti-China elements to smear China. The comment was made in response to reports that the United States added more Chinese companies to an entity list for alleged "forced labor" on August 1.

"It is the very opposite of the fact that the labor rights of people of all ethnic backgrounds in Xinjiang are effectively protected," the spokesperson added.

The U.S. enforcement of the so-called "Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act" on the basis of such a lie is detrimental to international trade rules and the stability of global industrial and supply chains, and the move to blacklist Chinese entities and go after more Chinese companies is aimed at undermining Xinjiang's prosperity and stability and containing China's development, the spokesperson said.

"We condemn and reject this and will take strong measures to firmly safeguard Chinese companies' lawful rights and interests," the spokesperson said.