US expands forced-labor import blacklist, 43 firms

The United States has significantly expanded its trade restrictions targeting alleged forced labor in China's Xinjiang region, adding 43 companies to a federal import blacklist in the largest single expansion of the program since its inception. The Department of Homeland Security announced the additions, which take effect on Monday, August 3, 2026, bringing the total number of entities on the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List to 187.

Under the new restrictions, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will apply a rebuttable presumption that goods produced by the newly listed companies are tied to forced labor and are prohibited from entering the United States. Importers must provide clear and convincing evidence to overcome this presumption. The targeted sectors include aluminum, apparel, copper, cotton, tomatoes, pharmaceuticals, metals, and downstream products. One of the named companies is Hunan Aihua Group, a major Chinese capacitor manufacturer.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated the action is intended to ensure products from these companies do not enter the country, framing it as a matter of economic fairness and national security. He...