H&M in Xinjiang cotton row faces backlash

Chinese online retail giants have withdrawn H&M products after screenshots of a statement from the Swedish fashion brand, detailing its commitment to stopping using cotton from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region over alleged "forced labor" concerns, caused an uproar on social media.

H&M’s official store on Alibaba’s Tmall, an e-commerce platform, was not accessible on Wednesday. Searches for H&M products on platforms JD.com and Pinduoduo no longer showed any results. 

The Stockholm-headquartered company said it was “deeply concerned by reports of forced labor and discrimination of ethno-religious minorities in Xinjiang.”

"We do not work with any garment-manufacturing factories located in Xinjiang, and we do not source products from this region," the statement said.

In a response to the social media anger, H&M said late last evening that it was following its commitment to sustainable growth and was not taking political stances. It claimed that they purchase sustainable cotton through internationally certified third party, not directly from any suppliers.

"We respect Chinese consumers and will be devoted to long-term investment and development in China," the statement said.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has repeatedly refuted allegations of “forced labor” in Xinjiang’s cotton production, pointing out the report was fabricated by infamous anti-China German “scholar” Adrian Zenz.

People on the Chinese social media site Weibo called H&M to leave China and for a boycott of its products.

“It is so shameless to smear Xinjiang and we don’t buy your products,” one netizen commented.

Comments including “calling H&M quit Chinese market now” and “I will no longer buy (H&M products)” had the most likes.

“Spreading rumors to boycott Xinjiang cotton, while still wanting to make money in China? Wishful thinking!” the Communist Youth League said in a post on Weibo.

In another post, the youth league referred to remarks made by China’s top diplomat Yang Jiechi at a combative meeting with his US counterparts last week in Alaska, where, referring to various US actions, he said the Chinese people “won’t swallow this.”

Xinjiang cotton “won’t swallow this,” the league said.

Famous actor Huang Xuan said on his Weibo account that he had terminated his contract as an image ambassador for H&M, saying he opposed “slander and rumors.”

The row comes within days of sanctions from the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and European Union on Chinese individuals and entities over Xinjiang affairs.