International clothing retail company H&M said on Wednesday, March 31, that its commitment to China remains strong and it is dedicated to regaining shoppers’ and partners’ trust. This statement comes in light of the recent backlash in China against H&M's comments from 2020 on China’s Xinjiang region.
In a statement released on its official website, H&M said, “We are dedicated to regaining the trust and confidence of our customers, colleagues, and business partners in China.”
“By working together with stakeholders and partners, we believe we can take steps in our joint efforts to develop the fashion industry, as well as serve our customers and act in a respectful way,” it added.
H&M, Nike, Adidas and other brands have been caught in a conflict with Xinjiang ever since the United States, the 27-nation European Union, Britain and Canada announced travel and financial sanctions on four Chinese officials accused of abuses.
In March 2020, H&M released a statement citing a decision by the "Better Cotton Initiative", an industry group that supports labour and environmental standards. The decision involved stopping licensing cotton from Xinjiang post reports of forced labour. Chinese media has now called for a boycott of H&M and other brands.
With inputs from Associated Press.
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