(Photo: VCG)

There is no so-called forced labor in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region as China is a country ruled by law, and some people in the US should stop their political manipulations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a press briefing on Wednesday, in response to a US senator who accused US firms of ignoring "forced labor" conditions in China's Xinjiang and called for sanctions on China over the issue. 

In a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said recent reports indicated some US companies, including Apple, Kraft Heinz, Coca-Cola, and Gap, had sourced, or continued to source, goods from Xinjiang, which he said has "forced labor." He called for sanctions on China over the "forced labor" issue, Reuters reported. 

China is a country ruled by law. In accordance with labor regulations and laws, employees of whatever ethnic group, race, gender and religion, sign labor contracts with companies to the principles of voluntary participation, equality and fairness, and get paid, Geng said at the Wednesday press briefing. 

The labor rights of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have been protected by laws and there is no such a thing as forced labor, something fabricated by some people with ulterior purposes, Geng said. 

The US senator on Tuesday accused US firms of willfully ignoring "forced labor" conditions in China's Xinjiang region and called on Department of Commerce to stop US companies and consumers from buying goods produced by such labor.

"We hope certain people in the US could take off their biased glasses, take a correct and objective view on China-US trade cooperation and stop their political manipulations," said Geng. "They should do more to benefit bilateral cooperation, not the opposite."

A staff member with Qingdao Taekwang Shoes Co., a Nike supplier, told the Global Times previously there is no need to worry about sanctions as all the employees in the company sign labor contracts in accordance with laws. "There is no forced labor as some reports claimed," the staff member said.