The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has awarded a unified contract for the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing to a Chinese company, Hengyuanxiang (HYX), according to U.S. media outlet Axios. This company has affiliated factories in Xinjiang and openly advertises the use of Xinjiang cotton. The controversy has been added to while the supply chain in mainland China is accused of producing this cotton through forced labor of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
The report mentions that the IOC announced in September 2019 that Hengyuanxiang would provide official uniforms for IOC members and staff, such as those used at ceremonies. In fact, Hengyuanxiang has a long-standing relationship with the Chinese Olympic Committee and was a sponsor of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Hengyuanxiang told the IOC that the cotton used in the Olympic uniforms did not come from Xinjiang. An IOC spokesperson told Axios that Hengyuanxiang provided the IOC with a certificate of origin indicating that the cotton used to produce the IOC uniforms came from outside China. However, the spokesperson did not specify which agency issued the certificate, nor did he provide a copy of the certificate upon Axios’ request.
Many of Hengyuanxiang’s products are advertised as containing Xinjiang cotton in listings on Taobao, JD.com and other e-commerce platforms. The company’s website also shows that it has a factory located in Xinjiang.
Penelope Kyritsis, director of strategic research at the Worker Rights Consortium, a labor rights group, told Axios after reviewing information about Hengyuanxiang: “The Olympics should not be associated with a company that produces in the Uyghur region. It is morally reprehensible to be associated with a company that not only comes from the Uyghur region, but boasts about it in its product advertising.”
She stressed, “The IOC seems to turn a blind eye when the whole world is aware of the horrific events taking place in the Uighur region.”
In a statement provided to Axios, however, the IOC said, “Given the diverse involvement of the Olympic Games, the IOC must remain neutral on all global political issues. While the IOC is committed to upholding human rights, it is neither empowered nor capable of changing the legal or political system of a sovereign nation.”
The State Department said on June 6 that the United States and its allies are considering a joint boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters when asked about the matter, “A joint boycott is something that we certainly want to discuss.”
The Olympics will be held between Feb. 4 and Feb. 20 next year, 10 months from now, and Price said the U.S. will continue to consult with allies. Currently the U.S. has a bipartisan anti-China hardline position, although there are still differences of opinion on whether to launch a boycott on human rights issues.
Recent Comments