Cartoon illustrates frustrations over false claims about Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. LUO JIE/CHINA DAILY
Recently, some Western companies, including H&M and Nike, have come under fire due to their boycott of cotton produced in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
近期，H&M和耐克等西方企业因抵制新疆维吾尔自治区生产的棉花而引发众怒。
A statement from H&M said that “it was deeply concerned about reports ... that include accusations of forced labor” in Xinjiang, which is based on false information.
H&M发表的一份声明称，“H&M集团对一些报道深表关注，其中包括对新疆强迫劳动的指控。”而其实这些内容都是基于谎言编造的。
Many were enraged that these large companies profit off of Chinese consumers while simultaneously defaming the country.
很多人表示强烈不满，称这些大企业一边造谣诋毁中国，一边又想赚中国人的钱。
Such arguments have led to the creation of the “I support Xinjiang cotton” campaign, popular on Sina Weibo, and the boycott of these Western brands.
这些评论让网友们在微博上发起了“我支持新疆棉花”的热门活动，以及对这些西方品牌的抵制。
On China’s major e-commerce platforms, including Taobao and JD.com, all products and search results related to H&M were cleared. Wang Yibo, who was previously a brand ambassador for Nike, has pulled out of his deal. And he’s not alone. This issue has divided companies and consumers across the country.
淘宝、京东等中国各大电商平台已下架H&M相关产品，并不再显示H&M的搜索结果。曾任耐克品牌大使的王一博已和耐克解约，做出同样选择的不止王一博一人，这一事件也在全国范围内将这些企业和消费者割裂开来。
But why is Xinjiang cotton being targeted?
但为何新疆棉花成了被攻击的目标？
According to China Daily, those brands’ claims followed the industry requirements set by Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). It is a Switzerland-based cotton organization with 2,100 members worldwide, including famous brands like Nike, Adidas and Burberry. In 2020, the BCI said it would stop cooperation with licensed farmers in Xinjiang because there are “crimes” against human rights such as forced labor.
据《中国日报》报道，这些品牌声明遵照良好棉花发展协会（BCI）提出的行业要求。BCI是一个在瑞士成立的棉花组织，在全球拥有2100名会员，包括耐克、阿迪达斯、博柏利等知名品牌。2020年，BCI表示暂停与有执照的新疆棉农合作，理由是新疆存在所谓强迫劳动等侵犯人权的“犯罪”。
This is a complete lie, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The so-called “Xinjiang Uygur question” is nothing but a way for the US to weaken China from the inside, said Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying on March 26.
中国外交部表示，这是彻头彻尾的谎言。3月26日，外交部发言人华春莹表示，所谓的“新疆维吾尔族问题”只不过是美国企图从内部搞乱中国、遏制中国的战略阴谋。
China is the world’s second-largest cotton producer now and Xinjiang accounts for nearly 90 percent of the country’s cotton output. However, the increase in China’s cotton production and the growing textile industry are making some in the West nervous, said Xinhua.
如今，中国是世界第二大棉花生产国，新疆棉花产量占全国总产量的近90%。据新华社报道，然而，中国棉花产量提高、纺织业蓬勃发展，让一些西方国家感到不安了。
Since the BCI is funded by many council members from the US and European countries, by initiating its Xinjiang cotton boycott, the real aim is to strike at China’s cotton and textile industry and further at China’s economy.
由于BCI受到来自美国和欧洲国家众多理事会成员的资助，通过挑起对新疆棉花的抵制，其真正目的是打压中国棉花和纺织业，进而打压中国经济。
In response to the Xinjiang cotton boycott, Xu Guixiang, spokesperson for the government of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, said that enterprises should not politicize economic behavior.
就抵制新疆棉花事件，新疆维吾尔自治区人民政府新闻发言人徐贵相表示，企业不应把经济行为政治化。
Almire Tursun, who is from Kuqa city in Xinjiang’s Aksu prefecture and now works for a textile company, said the foreign forces neither visited her company nor knew the real situation.
来自新疆阿克苏地区库车市的阿丽米热·吐尔孙如今在一家纺织企业工作。她表示，境外那些人没有来过她的公司，也不了解那里的真实情况。
What they say is made up in order to destroy the jobs of people such as her, and such a move is shameful and hateful, she added.
他们说的那些话都是瞎编的，他们这样做就是想砸掉我们的饭碗，他们这么做非常可耻、可恨，她补充道。
