Pinch me – I think I’m dreaming. Michael Littenberg posted an update about the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA):
“… last Thursday [June 5], five Republican members of Congress sent letters to DHS alleging that two major Chinese battery manufacturers have supply chains connected to forced labor. The letters request that these entities also be added to the UFLPA Entity List.n The letters were sent by House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), House Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN), Homeland Security and Government Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL). The letters are available here and here.”
As Michael points out, this is less about human rights and more about pressuring China on trade:
“One of the few areas where Democrats and Republicans seem to agree is being tough on China trade. Expect UFLPA enforcement to remain robust, with all arrows pointing toward increasing enforcement.”
Of all the matters for which I expected to see bipartisan support in the near term – human rights/forced labor is’t one of them. Yet here we are. Even if human rights is just a cover for more political positioning on China, I’m calling it a win.
Our members can learn more about the UFLPA here.
If you aren’t already subscribed to our complimentary ESG blog, sign up here: https://practicalesg.com/subscribe/ for daily updates delivered right to you.