Western ban on Xinjiang cotton hurts global economy

ISLAMABAD: Western players’ ban on Xinjiang Cotton hurts global economy, said Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director of Islamabad-based Center for Global & Strategic Studies (CGSS).

In an article published by Gwadar Pro on Wednesday, he said as the world’s biggest apparel market, China produces 30% of the world’s cotton, accounting for about 24% of global sales. According to Khalid Taimur Akram, “ the province of Xinjiang is the fifth largest producer and distributor of cotton to the globe. In many major Western clothing brands, China has been their biggest growth market for a couple of past decades.

Presently, the western market has banned Chinese cotton supply, claiming human rights violation in the cotton-growing Xinjiang region (the Uighurs minority area). The US, Australia, and other big international firms have raised concerns over the sources of cotton production.

However, all the allegations are meaningless and merely politicizing campaigns against the rising Chinese economy. China has alleviated poverty and sustainable development in Xinjiang autonomous region. The employment level is stable and a large number of job opportunities have been created. According to United Nations trade data, almost two-third of the clothing sold in Australian stores is manufactured in China. Some cotton products, China’s share is much greater than the average.

About 80% of men’s undergarments, 90% of handkerchiefs and almost 98% of some cotton fabric categories come from China. Furthermore, it is also estimated that about 4% of Australia’s clothes are manufactured locally, and much of that use Chinese fabric and yarns.