Editor's Note: China's photovoltaic industry has been developing rapidly in recent years. It has made remarkable achievements in the whole industrial chain of silicon materials, silicon wafers, cells and modules. The photovoltaic industry has become another golden pass of China in the world.

 

Xinjiang in China has natural raw materials, low electricity prices and other advantages. It is one of the main silicon production areas. With the unremitting efforts of many photovoltaic enterprises, Xinjiang has become an important area of silicon materials in China and even in the world. While producing green energy products, these photovoltaic enterprises have brought rich economic and social benefits to the local area and made contributions to "Green Xinjiang".

 

However, some US agencies recently misrepresented the existence of forced labor in photovoltaic enterprises in Xinjiang without any factual basis. Some US associations and enterprises issued irresponsible statements on this ground.

 

In response to this situation, the China Photovoltaic Industry Association and the Silicon Branch of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association issued a joint statement on January 18 to strongly respond to the untrue remarks of the United States.

 

China Photovoltaic Industry Association
Silicon Branch of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association

 

Statement on the Defamation of Forced Labor in the Photovoltaic Supply Chain in Xinjiang by Some US Agencies, Associations and Enterprises

 

Recently, some US agencies misrepresented forced labor in photovoltaic enterprises in Xinjiang, China without any factual basis. Some US associations and enterprises issued irresponsible statements on this basis. The China Photovoltaic Industry Association and the Silicon Branch of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association are shocked and strongly condemn such false and distorted reports, and are disappointed by the irresponsible statements issued by some US associations and enterprises based on such untrue reports.

 

As is known to all, the issue of forced labor is a lie invented out of thin air by institutions and personnel of the United States. There is no forced labor in the production of photovoltaic products in Xinjiang, China. Employees in Xinjiang choose their occupations according to their own will, sign labor contracts with photovoltaic enterprises and obtain corresponding remuneration in accordance with the law and the principle of equality and free will. Xinjiang adopts a proactive labor and employment policy to effectively safeguard the basic rights of people of all ethnic groups to employment.

 

Promotion of the development of renewable energy represented by photovoltaic power and acceleration of energy transformation have become the development consensus of all countries in the world. As countries step up their climate commitments, we need more cooperation rather than division, and healthy competition rather than vicious smear. Under the pretext of forced labor, some US agencies have politicized Xinjiang's photovoltaic industry, with the ultimate goal of curbing Xinjiang's development and progress and interfering in China's internal affairs. We solemnly warn some US associations and enterprises that their intention of restricting and suppressing relevant Chinese parties and enterprises, interfering in normal business cooperation and competition to seek for their own interests with such pretext not only violate international trade rules and principles of market economy, but also will undermine the global industrial chain and supply chain, damage the interests of enterprises and consumers of countries around the world, including the United States, and will eventually come back to hurt those who produce the defamation. We urge relevant US agencies to retract their erroneous remarks and eliminate negative impact. We also hope that relevant US associations and enterprises respect the basic facts and withdraw their irresponsible statements. We are willing to further strengthen cooperation with relevant US associations and enterprises on the basis of the consensus that forced labor is a lie, so as to jointly promote the healthy development of the global photovoltaic industry.

China Photovoltaic Industry Association

Silicon Branch of China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association