BEIJING, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- An aquatic products alliance in China refuted the accusation of so-called "forced labor" and denounced relevant overseas news reports as highly irresponsible.
"'Forced labor' is a fabricated story," the China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Alliance said in a recent statement.
The news reports, citing information from The Outlaw Ocean Project, speculate that employing Uygur workers is equivalent to forced labor without any factual basis and incite companies in the United States and the European Union to boycott seafood from relevant Chinese aquatic products processing plants, according to the alliance.
The continuous spread of the news has resulted in some buyers ceasing shipments from Chinese processing plants. This not only directly jeopardizes the normal operation of Chinese processing plants, affecting the interests of partners, but also severely disrupts the global seafood supply chain, said the statement.
The China aquatic products processing industry is closely monitoring the situation and has conducted prompt investigations into the Chinese companies mentioned, finding no evidence of forced labor, the statement said.
Workers from all ethnic groups work in the same conditions, and enjoy equal rights and equal pay for equal work, it added.
The falsely accused companies are angered and dumbfounded by the "forced labor" accusation.
There is no such a thing as "forced labor" here, said a manager of an aquatic products company based in east China's Shandong Province. ■
