Tag: celebs

(For a quick snapshot of the top 5 tech stories, subscribe to our today’s Cash Newsletter. Click here to subscribe for free.)

China’s top ride-hailing app removed Swedish fashion retailer H&M from its listing as Chinese celebrities stopped supporting foreign labels in Xinjiang amid growing uproar over Western allegations of forced labor.

H&M faced a public backlash in China when social media users in the country broadcast a statement that the company announced last year that it would not source cotton from Xinjiang following reports of forced labor use by Uygar Muslims Will remain

Western governments and rights groups have accused officials of detaining and torturing Uygars in the far-flung western region, where some former prisoners said they were subject to ideological indulgence.

Beijing denied the allegations and described the camps as vocational training centers that help combat religious extremism.

Also read Chinese hackers used Facebook to target Uigars living abroad

Search results for H&M in the Didi Chuxing ride-hailing app for all major cities in China did not yield any results on Friday. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The backlash against H&M caused the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, the shopping app Meituan and the Maps app for search engine Baidu Inc, to remove the Swedish retailer from its list.

Other foreign brands, including Burberry Group PLC, Nike Inc and Adidas AG, have also received a setback online for making similar statements about sourcing cotton in Xinjiang.

The human rights section of H & M’s website hmgroup.com on Friday did not forward links to Xinjiang’s 2020 statement. The statement can be accessed through the direct address of the page.

Statements previously expressing concern or intolerance about forced labor are no longer available on the websites of Inditex, VF Corp, PVH and Abercrombie & Fitchware already in place in Xinjiang.

Following Reuters’ inquiries, VF Corp pointed to a statement on a separate section of its website stating that it is not the source of Xinjiang. Google Cash showed that the statement was added in the last four days. The VF did not answer the question as to why the statement was moved.

PVH, Inditex and Abercrombie & Fitch did not respond to requests for comment.

Also read Uyghur women set a stage in Istanbul against Chinese camps

French MEP Rafael Gluckesman, one of the 10 European Union individuals from China who runs social media, said, “We have to stand by the statements condemning slavery and shame those who take them down. It is up to these brands. Is a defining moment. ” Campaigns calling on retailers to stand up against forced labor in Xinjiang.

“Consumers in Europe need to create counter pressure on companies withdrawing their statements.”

China Celebs Drop Brand

A message on Thursday on the Chinese Weibo account of German fashion house Hugo Boss stated that it would “continue to buy and support Xinhua cotton.” Hugo Boss said on Friday that it was not an authorized position, and was removed accordingly.

In an email to Reuters on Friday, company spokeswoman Caroline Westman said an unwanted English-language statement on its website stated that “until now, Hugo Boss has not procured any goods originating from direct suppliers in the Xinjiang region Is “was its official position.

Cotton Row has made its way into the entertainment world, with Chinese celebrities dropping several foreign retail labels, including six American brands such as Nike.

Naik-owned New Balance, Under Armor, Tommy Hilfiger and Conversions have set fire in China under statements that they will not use Xinjiang cotton.

Other brands affected include Adidas, Puma and Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo.

A Fast Retailing spokesperson said, “I can confirm that the Chinese brand ambassador of Uniqlo has terminated its contracts. Regarding cotton, we only have the source of permanent cotton and that has not changed.”

Also read Twitter says it has locked up the US embassy in China on a tweet related to Xinjiang

In the last two days at least 27 Chinese film stars and singers have announced that they will stop collaborating with foreign brands.

His decision was widely praised by Chinese Internet users for his patriotism and trended high on popular Twitter-like microblogs Weibo.

“I have bought such products in the past and this situation does not mean that I will now throw them away or destroy them,” said Lucy Liu, a graduate outside a Beijing shopping mall.

“What I will do is just avoid buying them right now.”

Beyond the fashion and retail industry, China on Friday approved British organizations and individuals, calling it a “lie and disinformation” about Xinjiang, days after Britain’s own sanctions came into force.

China’s Foreign Ministry said, “China is determined to protect its national sovereignty, security and development interests and warns Britain not to go the wrong way.” “Otherwise, China will react fully.”

The ban is the latest sign of deteriorating relations between London and Beijing, including China’s prohibition on dissent in the former British colony of Hong Kong, which was guaranteed its independence when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.