Foreign news
Putting people first’ at heart of Xinjiang’s cotton textile industry: report
On Sunday, the Xinjiang Textile Industry Association issued a report reviewing the history and development of Xinjiang’s cotton textile industry and refuted rumors of “forced labor” as claimed by Western media and politicians.
The report said the industry helps the region eliminate hunger and poverty while improve the general well-being of people across Xinjiang.
“The industry secures the livelihoods of millions of people in Xinjiang, including cotton growers, cotton textile workers and their family members, improves their lives and promotes the realization of their economic rights,” the report said.
Almost a day before Joe Biden took office as President of the United States, the Trump administration announced a ban on imports of cotton and tomatoes from Xinjiang, citing human rights violations and the alleged use of “forced labor” in the region. Meanwhile, former secretary of state Mike Pompeo – a famous China hawk – decided to go all out by accusing the Chinese government of committing “genocide” against Uygur people despite offering no credible evidence.
Recently, there have been some voices overseas saying Xinjiang’s local government forces people to collect cotton; this is just nonsense,” said Kakri Usur, a cotton grower from Kuqa City in Aksu Prefecture in southern Xinjiang during a press conference on Monday.
“We grow our own field, collect our own cotton, earn our own money, how is that forced? Those who spread the rumors aren’t interested in protecting our rights. They want us farmers to rot in the cotton fields by taking away our business and let us starve; we won’t allow that.”
The U.S. government’s latest move comes at a time when businesses are coming under increasing pressure to move supply chains out of Xinjiang due to the “forced labor” claims. A report released by a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers in March last year listed an array of American companies suspected of having ties to the so-called forced labor in Xinjiang, including Coca-Cola, Nike, Adidas, Patagonia, Calvin Klein, among others.
“I don’t think it exists at all. For all the time that I worked in rural areas of southern Xinjiang, I’ve never heard anything about forced labor,” said Urumqi-based photographer Parhat Yusanjan who worked in Awat County in Aksu from 2017 to 2020. The county is known for its long-staple cotton production.
In recent years, Western media have turned up the heat on Xinjiang as then U.S. government takes on an increasingly hostile view toward China and its rise.
Based on a network of anti-China experts, right-wing think tanks and dubious witness testimonies, Western media and governments have smeared and politicized China’s anti-terrorism efforts in the region, enforcing the image of China as an “authoritarian” government.
From claims of “internment camps” to “mass surveillance,” the the vast far western land of the country suddenly become a troubled hotspot for “human rights abuses” under the relentless PR campaign.
With sensational headlines such as “Over 570,000 Uygurs forced to pick cotton in Xinjiang” or “Scope of Xinjiang forced labor is bigger than we know,” the West continues its distortion of reality in an attempt to discredit China.
Foreign news
Court of Arbitration Declares Indus Waters Treaty Fully Operational Rejects India’s ‘Abeyance’
Cyril Ogar
The Court of Arbitration has unanimously reaffirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains fully in force, ruling that India cannot unilaterally place the 1960 agreement in “abeyance” or suspend its obligations under the treaty.
The decision represents a significant legal development in the longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan over the management and use of the Indus river system.
The Court’s finding addresses a fundamental issue at the heart of the dispute: whether either party can unilaterally suspend the treaty outside the legal framework agreed by both countries.
In its unanimous determination, the Court made clear that the IWT continues to bind both India and Pakistan and that its obligations cannot be set aside through a unilateral political declaration.
The ruling means India remains subject to the treaty provisions governing the use of the Western Rivers, including requirements relating to the design and operation of hydroelectric projects, as well as the dispute-resolution mechanisms established under the agreement.
The Court has also ordered interim measures concerning the Ratle Hydroelectric Plant, restricting specified construction activities while the broader dispute remains under consideration.
The measures are aimed at preserving the effectiveness of the arbitration process and preventing developments that could prejudice the outcome of the proceedings.
For Pakistan, the decision represents significant legal validation of its longstanding position that the IWT is a binding international agreement and contains no provision allowing either party to unilaterally place it in abeyance.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that disagreements over the treaty should be addressed through the institutional mechanisms established by the agreement, rather than through unilateral action.
The IWT provides a structured framework for resolving disputes through mechanisms including the Permanent Indus Commission, Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration processes.
The latest ruling therefore reinforces the principle that treaty obligations cannot simply be disregarded because of deteriorating political relations between signatories.
The significance of the decision extends beyond the India-Pakistan dispute. It underscores the broader international-law principle that agreements governing shared rivers and other transboundary resources must be respected and disputes resolved through established legal and institutional channels.
The Indus river system supports agriculture, livelihoods, food security and communities across the region, making the stability of the treaty particularly important.
The ruling also highlights the distinction between seeking to amend an international agreement through mutually agreed procedures and attempting to alter its obligations unilaterally.
The IWT has endured wars, prolonged diplomatic tensions and periods of limited bilateral engagement. Its continued operation demonstrates the importance of rules-based mechanisms in managing shared resources when relations between neighbouring states become strained.
For Pakistan, the outcome provides an opportunity to frame the decision not merely as a bilateral legal victory, but as an affirmation of international law, treaty compliance and peaceful dispute resolution.
The central message from the ruling is clear: the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force, its obligations continue to bind both parties, and disputes concerning shared waters must be addressed through the legal mechanisms agreed by India and Pakistan.
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