Here's what foreign brands have to say about Xinjiang

HONG KONG (AP) — Nike. The Gap. Uniqlo. Major clothing and footwear brands are under attack in China after Europe, the U.S. and other countries sanctioned Chinese officials this week over alleged human rights abuses.

The companies, under pressure from activists, have tried to distance themselves from reports of forced labor in China's Xinjiang region. Such statements have drawn attacks from state media and others.

H&M was targeted first. The Communist Party Youth League called attention to a March 2020 statement by H&M that it would stop buying cotton from Xinjiang. Celebrities have cut their ties with H&M and Nike, and state media has called for a boycott of the Swedish clothing chain.

Here’s what some major brands have said about the Xinjiang situation:

H&M

“We strictly prohibit any type of forced labor in our supply chain, regardless of the country or region,” H&M said in an undated statement posted on its website. The retailer said it does not work with any garment manufacturing factories in Xinjiang, nor did it source any products from the region. It also said it conducted an inquiry at its factories to make sure they were not using any forced labor from Xinjiang.

NIKE

The sportswear brand says on its website that it was “concerned about reports of forced labor” connected to Xinjiang. Nike said it did not source products from the region and confirmed with its suppliers that textiles or spun yarn used were not from the region.

GAP

American apparel brand Gap Inc. confirmed in a statement on its website that it does not source any garments from Xinjiang. “At Gap Inc., we have strict policies against the use of involuntary labor of any kind in our supply chain,” it said. The company also said it has taken steps to better...