Mick Hartley

It's not just German countries doing business in Xinjiang:

Tesla has been criticised for opening a showroom in Xinjiang, where Beijing is accused of committing genocide against the Uighur population.

The US electric carmaker announced the official opening on the Chinese social media site Weibo on Friday. It said: “On the last day of 2021, we meet in Xinjiang. In 2022 let us together launch Xinjiang on its electric journey!”

The company had long planned to open the centre in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, for sales, delivery and customer services.

Last month President Biden signed into law a bill banning imports from Xinjiang over concerns about forced labour.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, tweeted: “What is @Tesla thinking, choosing to open a showroom in Xinjiang as the Chinese government, through its mass detention and persecution, is committing crimes against humanity there against Uyghur/Turkic Muslims.”

Though a showroom, it has to be said in Tesla's favour, is not the same as a factory, taking advantage of Xinjiang's cheap (slave) labour.