US bans imports from Chinese biotech firms over forced labor claims

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 28 Oct, 23:20 · Archive

The Trump administration is blocking shipments from BGI Group and two affiliates, alleging links to forced labour in Xinjiang.

The Trump administration said Wednesday that it is blocking shipments by Chinese biotech company BGI Group and its affiliates, alleging ties to forced labour in China's far-west ethnic region of Xinjiang. Starting Thursday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will bar goods by BGI Group, a major biotech company known for genetic sequencing technologies, as well as BGI Genomics and MGI Tech.

The Department of Homeland Security said the companies are either sourcing materials from Xinjiang or working with the regional government to 'recruit, transport, transfer, harbor, or receive forced labour' of members of persecuted ethnic groups in Xinjiang, including Uyghurs. The company has controlling stakes in BGI Genomics and MGI Tech.

BGI Group rejected the allegations in a statement Wednesday, saying it 'has not engaged in any form of forced labor' and that it 'firmly opposes all forms of forced labor'. The trade action comes as biotechnology emerges as another front in economic and tech competition between the U.S. and China, following Treasury Department proposals last week to restrict U.S. investments in biotechnology, artificial intelligence and supercomputing flowing into China.

How it is being reported

• US bans imports from 3 Chinese biotech companies over forced labor allegationsThe Trump administration says it's blocking shipments from Chinese biotech company BGI and its affiliates, alleging ties to forced labor.Clickorlando · 28 Oct, 22:41
• US bans imports from 3 Chinese biotech companies over forced labor allegationsThe Trump administration says it's blocking shipments from Chinese biotech company BGI and its affiliates, alleging ties to forced labor.News4Jax · 28 Oct, 22:41

In this story: BGI Group · BGI Genomics · MGI Tech · Xinjiang · Trump administration · China

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log