PARIS (AP), French prosecutors opened an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity. The investigation was based on claims by global retailers Uniqlo, Skechers shoes, and Zara clothes that they rely on forced labor from minorities in China's Xinjiang.Friday's statement by the Chinese government reiterated its denial of forced labor in Xinjiang and lashed out against what it called interference into its internal affairs.According to a Friday statement, the investigation was initiated by the anti-terrorism prosecutors office of France's crimes against humanity unit. This office is able to prosecute offences that are not within France's borders.The investigation was based on a French legal complaint that was filed earlier in the year by a Uyghur worker exiled and three human rights organizations: Sherpa and the Uyghur Institute of Europe.According to a judicial official, although the investigation does not name a suspect perpetrator, it is intended to determine who could be responsible and possibly face charges for involvement in crimes against mankind. This procedure is common under French law. The official was not allowed to be named publicly.The complaint names Uniqlo, a Japanese retailer, Skechers U.S., French shoemaker Skechers and Inditex, Spanish retailer Inditex, as well as Zara's owner Zara. Rights groups claim that the companies profit from a Chinese system to repress Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities living in Xinjiang.China has been criticised for holding more than 1,000,000 Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in detention for political reeducation in the northwestern region Xinjiang and for intimidating or imprisoning those it considers potential enemies from Tibet to Hong Kong.Uniqlo stated in a statement to The AP Friday that it had not been formally notified about the investigation but would fully cooperate with French authorities in order to reaffirm that there is no forced labor within our supply chains.Continue the storyAccording to the company, none of its production partners is located in Xinjiang. No evidence has been found to show forced labor or other violations of human rights at any of our suppliers. It stated that if there is any evidence, we will stop doing business with this supplier."Skechers stated earlier this year, that its regular audits of China's facilities have not found any evidence of forced labor.Inditex states on its website that it has a zero tolerance policy towards forced labor in any form and that we have policies and procedures in place to prevent this practice from occurring anywhere in our supply chains.Wang Wenbin, a Chinese spokesperson for the foreign ministry, stated Friday that "forced labor" in Xinjiang was a fabrication by a few anti-China elements of the U.S., and a few other nations, with the goal of disrupting Xinjiang, and containing China.He said that we strongly oppose any foreign forces interfering with China's internal affairs via Xinjiang-related matters.Human rights groups praised the French investigation and expressed hope that it would help shed light on what's happening in Xinjiang.___Joe McDonald's in Beijing and Yuri Kageyama, Tokyo, contributed.
