Xinjiang Is Removed From Reference Letter, Intel Fears Chinese Government More Than Obeys US Government

JAKARTA - US chipmaker Intel has removed or dropped references to Xinjiang in their annual letters to suppliers. This was done by Intel Corp, after the company faced backlash in China for asking suppliers to avoid the sanctioned areas.

Last month, Intel came under fire on Chinese social media for a letter to a supplier published on its website. The letter dated December 23 said Intel had been "required to ensure that its supply chain does not use labor or sources of goods or services from the Xinjiang region" following bans imposed by "several governments", including the US.

The sentence in that paragraph, or any reference to Xinjiang or China, is no longer in the letter, Reuters said on Tuesday, January 11.

The letter now reads that the company prohibits "any trafficked or involuntary labor such as forced, debt bonded, prison, contract, or slave labor across your extended supply chain."

Intel did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Last month it apologized for the "trouble" it caused, saying its commitment to avoiding supply chains from Xinjiang was an expression of compliance with US law, rather than a statement of its position on the matter.

These multinationals have come under pressure because they have complied with US trade sanctions related to Xinjiang, while continuing to operate in China, one of their biggest markets.

The United States months ago accused China of widespread human rights abuses in Xinjiang, home to the country's Muslim-majority Uyghur, including forced labor sentences. Beijing itself has repeatedly denied the claims.

Intel's removal of any reference to Xinjiang in its annual letter to suppliers, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, was criticized by US Senator Marco Rubio.

"Intel's cowardice is another predictable consequence of the economy's dependence on China," Rubio said in a statement Monday, January 10. "Instead of embarrassing apologies and self-censorship, companies should move their supply chains to countries that don't use slave labor or commit genocide."

Rubio was one of four US politicians who introduced the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act last month calling for a ban on imports from Xinjiang on allegations that forced labor occurs there. On December 23, US President Joe Biden signed the bill into law.