The United States on Oct. 28 moved to block imports from three Chinese genetics companies, accusing them of helping authorities in China’s Xinjiang region transfer Uyghurs and other persecuted minorities into forced labor.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added BGI Genomics, MGI Tech, and Shenzhen BGI Technology, also known as BGI Group, to a federal forced-labor list. The companies provide genetic-testing services or make equipment used to analyze DNA.
Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, U.S. customs authorities must presume that goods made wholly or partly by the listed companies were produced with forced labor and generally block them from entering the country. Importers can seek exceptions by providing clear and convincing evidence that forced labor was not used….