At least 14 Chinese companies will be added to the list of entities as early as Friday due to reports of abuse of Muslim Uighurs.

Two sources told Reuters that the Biden administration will include more than 10 Chinese companies on its economic blacklist as early as Friday on charges of alleged human rights violations and high-tech surveillance in Xinjiang.

The US Department of Commerce’s actions were taken after five other companies and other Chinese entities were blacklisted for allegations of forced labor in western China.

The increase in the list of entities of the Ministry of Commerce is part of the Biden administration’s efforts Hold China accountable for human rights violations, The source said.

China refuted the allegations of genocide and forced labor in Xinjiang and stated that its policies are necessary to eradicate separatists and religious extremists who planned attacks and provoked between the Uyghurs, who are mainly Muslims, and the Han Chinese, the largest ethnic group in China. intense situation.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

One of the sources said that the department plans to add 14 Chinese companies to the list of entities in response to infringements in Xinjiang.

The identity of the added company is unclear. Some companies from other countries will also be added to the department’s blacklist as soon as possible on Friday.

The White House declined to comment, and the Department of Commerce did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Abuse of Uyghurs

These increases are the latest step by President Joe Biden to pressure China because what the government says is increasing human rights violations against Uighurs in Xinjiang.

Generally speaking, when a physical listed company seeks a license to receive items from a US supplier, it needs to apply for a license from the Ministry of Commerce and face strict review.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce stated that it was adding five Chinese entities, “they are accepting or using forced labor in the implementation of the People’s Republic of China’s repression of the Muslim minority in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.”

The department stated that the June action targeted five entities, including the Chinese solar panel materials company Hosine Silicon Industry, “the ability to acquire goods, software, and technology…this is part of the strong measures taken by the U.S. government. Opposition. China’s continued suppression of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang”.

This is not the first time that the U.S. government has targeted companies related to China Allegations against high-tech surveillance activities in Xinjiang.

In 2019, the Trump administration included some of China’s top artificial intelligence startups on its economic blacklist to treat Muslim minorities.

The Ministry of Commerce under Trump has targeted 20 Chinese Public Security Bureaus and 8 companies, including video surveillance company Hikvision, and facial recognition technology leaders Shangtang Group and Megvii Technology.

The U.S. Department of Commerce stated in 2019 that these entities are involved in “high-tech surveillance against Uighurs, Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minorities.”

UN experts and human rights organizations estimate that more than one million people have been detained in Xinjiang’s vast system of concentration camps in recent years, most of whom are members of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities.