Forwarded from 📡Guardians of Hong Kong
Old H&M comment on 'forced labour' in China's Xinjiang raises online storm
At least one Chinese online retailer appeared to drop H&M’s products amid social media attacks on the Swedish company for saying it was “deeply concerned” about reports of forced labour in the farwestern region of Xinjiang. A graphic in a commentary from the official CCTV that slammed the company for its stance said that “H&M you are no longer at all fashionable”. Some people on Weibo called for H&M to leave China and for a boycott.
H&M’s official store on Alibaba’s Tmall, an e-commerce platform, was not accessible on Mar 24. The official People’s Daily reported that searches for H&M products on platforms JD.com and Pinduoduo no longer showed any results.
China is H&M’s fourth-biggest market with sales of 9.75 billion Swedish crowns ($1.13 billion) in the 12 months through November 2020.
Source: Reuters #Mar24
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-cotton/old-hm-comment-on-forced-labour-in-chinas-xinjiang-raises-online-storm-idUSKBN2BG1G4
#China #HM #Xinjiang #ForcedLabour #XinjiangCotton
At least one Chinese online retailer appeared to drop H&M’s products amid social media attacks on the Swedish company for saying it was “deeply concerned” about reports of forced labour in the farwestern region of Xinjiang. A graphic in a commentary from the official CCTV that slammed the company for its stance said that “H&M you are no longer at all fashionable”. Some people on Weibo called for H&M to leave China and for a boycott.
H&M’s official store on Alibaba’s Tmall, an e-commerce platform, was not accessible on Mar 24. The official People’s Daily reported that searches for H&M products on platforms JD.com and Pinduoduo no longer showed any results.
China is H&M’s fourth-biggest market with sales of 9.75 billion Swedish crowns ($1.13 billion) in the 12 months through November 2020.
Source: Reuters #Mar24
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-cotton/old-hm-comment-on-forced-labour-in-chinas-xinjiang-raises-online-storm-idUSKBN2BG1G4
#China #HM #Xinjiang #ForcedLabour #XinjiangCotton
U.S.
Old H&M comment on 'forced labour' in China's Xinjiang raises online storm
(This March 24 story corrects China turnover in paragraph 8)
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H&M Criticized in China Over Xinjiang Forced-Labor Stance
Chinese state media and social-media users excoriated H&M, the Swedish fast-fashion giant, accusing the company of spreading rumors and smearing China over a statement it made last year on forced labor in China’s northwest Xinjiang region.
H&M, which operates more than 400 stores in China, is blocked in the e-commerce websites, Alibaba, Pinduoduo and JD.com. Internet users call for boycotting H&M in Weibo which is similar to China’s Twitter.
Two of the fashion company’s Chinese brand ambassadors also announced they were cutting ties with H&M over what was called its smearing of China.
The backlash against H&M nevertheless highlights how multinational companies are being squeezed in an intensifying, high-stakes clash between Beijing and Western governments over human rights.
Source: WSJ #Mar24
https://www.wsj.com/articles/h-m-battered-with-criticism-in-china-over-xinjiang-forced-labor-stance-11616598679
#Xinjiang #HM #CCP #XinjiangCotton
Chinese state media and social-media users excoriated H&M, the Swedish fast-fashion giant, accusing the company of spreading rumors and smearing China over a statement it made last year on forced labor in China’s northwest Xinjiang region.
H&M, which operates more than 400 stores in China, is blocked in the e-commerce websites, Alibaba, Pinduoduo and JD.com. Internet users call for boycotting H&M in Weibo which is similar to China’s Twitter.
Two of the fashion company’s Chinese brand ambassadors also announced they were cutting ties with H&M over what was called its smearing of China.
The backlash against H&M nevertheless highlights how multinational companies are being squeezed in an intensifying, high-stakes clash between Beijing and Western governments over human rights.
Source: WSJ #Mar24
https://www.wsj.com/articles/h-m-battered-with-criticism-in-china-over-xinjiang-forced-labor-stance-11616598679
#Xinjiang #HM #CCP #XinjiangCotton
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China's New Belt and Road Has Less Concrete, More Blockchain
The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t been good for China’s Belt and Road Initiative. the virus “seriously affected” one-fifth of the projects in the China-centered infrastructure drive, according to the Ministry of foreign Affairs. Djibouti, Laos, Maldives, Pakistan, and Zambia, among others, have asked China to renegotiate or forgive Belt and Road loans. Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka have already extracted concessions.
Source: Bloomberg #Mar24
#China #BeltandRoad #Djibouti #Laos #Maldives #Pakistan
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-24/china-s-new-belt-and-road-has-less-concrete-more-blockchain
The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t been good for China’s Belt and Road Initiative. the virus “seriously affected” one-fifth of the projects in the China-centered infrastructure drive, according to the Ministry of foreign Affairs. Djibouti, Laos, Maldives, Pakistan, and Zambia, among others, have asked China to renegotiate or forgive Belt and Road loans. Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka have already extracted concessions.
Source: Bloomberg #Mar24
#China #BeltandRoad #Djibouti #Laos #Maldives #Pakistan
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-24/china-s-new-belt-and-road-has-less-concrete-more-blockchain
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#China and #Solomon Islands Draft Secret #SecurityPact, Raising Alarm in the Pacific
//A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.
The agreement, kept secret until now, was shared online Thursday night by opponents of the deal and verified as legitimate by the Australian government...
it has set off alarms throughout the Pacific, where concerns about China’s intentions have been growing for years.
“This is deeply problematic for the United States and a real cause of concern for our allies and partners,” Charles Edel, the inaugural Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said on Friday.
“The establishment of a base in the Solomon Islands by a strategic adversary would significantly degrade Australia and New Zealand’s security, increase the chances of local corruption and heighten the chances of resource exploitation.”
The leaked document states that “Solomon Islands may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property.”//
Read the full article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/world/asia/china-solomon-islands-security-pact.html
Source: New York Times #Mar24
#Security #InternationalRelations #FiveEyes #Australia #Defense #Pacific #WW2
//A leaked document has revealed that China and the Solomon Islands are close to signing a security agreement that could open the door to Chinese troops and naval warships flowing into a Pacific Island nation that played a pivotal role in World War II.
The agreement, kept secret until now, was shared online Thursday night by opponents of the deal and verified as legitimate by the Australian government...
it has set off alarms throughout the Pacific, where concerns about China’s intentions have been growing for years.
“This is deeply problematic for the United States and a real cause of concern for our allies and partners,” Charles Edel, the inaugural Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said on Friday.
“The establishment of a base in the Solomon Islands by a strategic adversary would significantly degrade Australia and New Zealand’s security, increase the chances of local corruption and heighten the chances of resource exploitation.”
The leaked document states that “Solomon Islands may, according to its own needs, request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces to Solomon Islands to assist in maintaining social order, protecting people’s lives and property.”//
Read the full article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/24/world/asia/china-solomon-islands-security-pact.html
Source: New York Times #Mar24
#Security #InternationalRelations #FiveEyes #Australia #Defense #Pacific #WW2
Nytimes
China and Solomon Islands Draft Secret Security Pact, Raising Alarm in the Pacific (Published 2022)
The leaked agreement, if signed, could help the Chinese Navy block shipping routes that played a vital role in World War II.