Washington: Donald Trump, US President, announced on Wednesday (June 11) that the United States will secure access to rare earth minerals and magnets from China under a new trade agreement, while tariffs on Chinese goods will increase to 55 per cent. In return, Trump stated the US will uphold its commitments, including allowing Chinese students to continue studying at American universities.
The announcement comes as global scrutiny intensifies over the ethical sourcing of critical minerals, particularly from China’s Xinjiang region. A report released Wednesday by Netherlands-based human rights group Global Rights Compliance reveals that dozens of international companies may be linked to forced labour in their Chinese supply chains.
According to the report, major global brands such as Walmart, Coca-Cola, Nescafé, Sherwin-Williams, and Avon risk sourcing minerals like titanium, lithium, magnesium, and beryllium from Xinjiang- a region where human rights organisations have alleged systemic coercive labour practices targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim minorities.
The report identifies 77 Chinese suppliers operating in these mineral sectors in Xinjiang and warns that many participate in state-run labour transfer programmes. These programmes have been widely criticised for reportedly forcing Uyghurs into factory labour as part of broader assimilation policies and mass surveillance efforts.
