Federation of Trade Unions of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Pompeo’s so-called determination that Xinjiang has committed forced labor against Uygurs and other ethnic minorities, is fabricated rumor and purely fictitious, only to demonstrate his evil intention to meddle in China’s internal affairs and contain China’s development through slandering Xinjiang under the guise of human rights. This US politician infamous for lying and cheating turned himself into a joke of the century by cooking up lies of the century. His so-called determination is a piece of scrap paper for us. The sound situation of stability and prosperity in Xinjiang will not be undermined by Pompeo’s slander.

Work is the cornerstone of subsistence, development and happiness, and the precondition for creating a better living. All ethnic groups in Xinjiang know that laborers’ naan is more delicious, happiness will not drop from heaven and better living should be earned by their own hands, and hope to find reliable jobs and earn more money. In recent years, it becomes a trend to work away from hometown. They frequently discuss where to find jobs with better conditions and salaries at their leisure time. Numerous people move from countryside to city and transform from peasants to industrial workers. They have acquired skills, increased income and gotten rib of poverty. Whether in or out of Xinjiang, all ethnic workers can receive stable remuneration of labour. The annual income of those workers transferred within Xinjiang can reach about 30,000 RMB, much higher than farming at hometown. Compared with diligent ethnic workers, Pompeo, the former U.S. Secretary of State, is a truly free rider paid by the US taxpayers. In spite of doing nothing practical for Americans, he made agitation and slanders everywhere, abused long-arm jurisdiction to impose sanction on companies in Xinjiang with the excuse of forced labour. This practice harms interests of Xinjiang companies and workers as well as the US companies and people. This kind of Pompeo has no entitlement to make comments on Xinjiang labour policy.

Laborers of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang choose their jobs out of their free will, and sign labor contracts with and receive payment from companies on the basis of equality and voluntariness in accordance with the Labour Law of the People’s Republic of China and other laws and regulations. They enjoy full freedom in deciding where to work. What all level of governments do are to improve all kinds of employment promotion policies, actively establish information sharing platform of employment, build a favorable environment for employment, create conditions for all ethic groups to find satisfied employment and receive stable incomes, and protect employment rights of them to the largest degree. It is laborers of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang who should certify whether they are forced. As Shirali Memtimin and Paziliya Tursun, the labors from Hotan and Aksu Prefecture said at the press conference on issues related to Xinjiang in Beijing on December 21 2020, “Do we need to be forced to change lives by our hands?” and “ Nobody can deprive us of the rights to lead a happy life”.

The legitimate rights of laborers of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang are fully protected. Xinjiang always abides by the spirits advocated by the Constitution of International Labor Organizations and other relevant conventions, and strictly follows the Labor Law of the People’s Republic of China, Implementation Opinions on the Labor Law of the People’s Republic of China in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and measures on Implementation of Regulation on Labor Security Supervision in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, etc., and puts the issues of establishment, operation, supervision, adjustment of labor relations under the framework of rule of law, and severely prohibits the forced labor through violence, threat or illegal restriction of personal freedom. Their right to remuneration, rest and leisure, occupational safety and hygiene, and social insurance and welfare are protected by the law. Whatever in Xinjiang and other regions, the rights of religion belief, culture and languages of all ethnic groups are respected and protected by the law. Xinjiang has also enforced seven regional regulations, such as the Regulation on Collective Salary Negotiation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Regulation on the Protection of Labor Rights and Interests of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Xinjiang enhances protection of the rights and interests of labors, further improves the tripartite mechanism of consultation among representatives of the government, trade unions, and business organizations, investigates and solves major problems involving labor relations, and seeks to build harmony in the workplace.

Pompeo ignores the tremendous efforts of Xinjiang government to help all ethnic groups to ensure stable employment and decent work, and the facts that all ethnic groups get rid of poverty to become rich by voluntary employment. He rebuked and slandered the labor and employment policy in Xinjiang without any proof once and again. Our worker classes in Xinjiang will never allow this blatant and bullying practice.