BEIJING (AP) — China’s ruling Communist Party is lashing out at H&M and other clothing and footwear brands as it retaliates for Western sanctions imposed on Chinese officials accused of human rights abuses in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. The attacks began when the party’s Youth League called attention to H&M’s March 2020 announcement it would stop buying cotton grown in Xinjiang. A party newspaper, the Global Times, cited Burberry, Adidas, Nike and New Balance as among companies that made “cutting remarks” about Xinjiang cotton. Beijing often attacks foreign clothing, auto, travel and other brands for actions by their governments or to pressure companies to conform to its official positions on Taiwan, Tibet and other sensitive issues.
