Intel Corporation apologized on Thursday for asking suppliers to avoid sourcing from Xinjiang, after the world’s largest chip maker joined other foreign brands that have been officially accused of abuse by the ruling Communist Party in major Muslim areas. The anger of the media.
The newspaper “Global Times” published by the ruling party called Intel’s request “arrogant and vicious.”
Intel stated on its social media accounts that it mentioned Xinjiang in a letter to its suppliers in order to comply with U.S. regulations. Washington has banned imports from Xinjiang on the grounds of mass detentions, forced abortions and forced labor. Beijing denies this.
As activists call for a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February, a prestigious project of the ruling party, tensions in Xinjiang are increasing. The White House stated that the United States will not send dignitaries. Beijing on Wednesday barred four members of the US government’s religious freedom group from entering China in retaliation for the sanctions imposed by Washington on two Xinjiang leaders. “The so-called forced labor and other allegations in Xinjiang are all lies fabricated by anti-China forces,” said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He called on Intel to “respect the facts and distinguish right from wrong.”
Some online commenters called for a boycott of Intel products, in which comments that the ruling party did not want were deleted by the censors.
Intel processor chips are used in products such as smart phones and computers.
Intel said in a statement that the letter aroused “the concerns of our cherished Chinese partners, and we deeply regret this.”
The company said: “We apologize for the trouble caused to our respected Chinese customers, partners and the public.”
Other companies, including retailer H&M and footwear brand Nike, have become targets of criticism and boycotts after expressing their concerns about Xinjiang or saying they will stop using materials produced there. The Chinese government rejected complaints about abuse of power in Xinjiang, but the company said it was unable to conduct independent audits of factories and other workplaces.
Pop singer Wang Junkai, also known as Karry Wang, announced on Wednesday that he will withdraw from a deal to serve as the “brand ambassador” for the Intel Core processor chip family.
The Global Times, known for its nationalist tone, stated that Wang Yi’s move was “a new warning to Intel and other foreign companies seeking to harm China’s core interests while trying to profit from the vast Chinese market.”
Other singers, actors and other celebrities have severed ties with foreign brands criticized for Xinjiang issues, giving up millions of dollars in income to protect their careers from official retaliation.
Xinjiang is a major supplier of silicon dioxide used to make computer chips. Intel has a chip factory in Dalian in northeastern China—it has only one in Asia and one of four outside the United States. The company also has a research facility in Beijing.
Complete News Source : Hindustan Times
