US sanctions on Chinese companies using Uighur labor mark deteriorating relations

After the Department of Commerce on Monday slapped sanctions on Chinese companies using forced labor from Uighur Muslims, the Chinese government on Tuesday responded by accusing the United States of a political ploy hurt Chinese business.

The struggle is the latest chapter in a campaign of increased U.S. pressure on China, following revelations of the extent to which the communist regime has abused the Muslim minority population, of which about 1 million are interned in concentration camps with forced labor, genetic testing, and sterilizations. The latest sanctions add 11 Chinese companies to a list of foreign entities whose trade with the U.S. is limited.