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The
ministry said Thursday in statements posted online that it would
investigate the company’s suspected boycott of products from the
far western Xinjiang region, where China’s ruling Communist
Party is accused of holding members of mostly Muslim ethnic
groups in detention camps.
Washington has blocked some imports from Xinjiang, while Beijing
has protested against such moves. China denies any abuses and
says steps it has taken are necessary to combat terrorism and a
separatist movement.
Companies that buy clothing, cotton, tomatoes and other goods
from Xinjiang face pressure from western consumers over alleged
human rights violations in the region, while Beijing has whipped
up Chinese anger at brands that express concern about possible
forced labor.
“The U.S. PVH Group is suspected of violating normal market
trading principles and unreasonably boycotting Xinjiang cotton
and other products without factual basis, seriously damaging the
legitimate rights and interests of relevant Chinese companies
and endangering China’s sovereignty, security and development
interests,” the Commerce Ministry said.
PVH says in a statement on its website that it complies with
laws and regulations wherever it does business, “including with
respect to U.S. government policy regarding the Xinjiang”
region.
The Commerce Ministry said the investigation would be under the
rules of China's “Unreliable Entities List,” which is used as a
counter-sanction against measures taken against Beijing.
PVH was expected, within 30 days of Tuesday's announcement, to
provide information to China to explain if it had taken
discriminatory measures against Xinjiang-related products in the
past three years, it said.
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