October 20, 2021
(Washington)—Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA), the Chair and Cochair, respectively, of the bipartisan and bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) today released a letter to Acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Troy Miller seeking information on whether CBP has stopped imports from companies that have publicly endorsed the use of cotton from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and that have advertised its use in their products.
Of particular concern, given the start of a new NBA season, is the continued availability of products from the Chinese sportswear companies Anta, Peak, and Li-Ning, which have high-profile endorsements from NBA players. The public endorsement of the use of cotton from the XUAR by these companies “warrants special attention from CBP, as it raises specific concerns about the supply chains of these companies.” The Chairs also included a list of companies known to have publicly endorsed the use of Xinjiang cotton.
CECC Commissioners and ranking minority members Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) joined the bipartisan letter with the Chairs.
The Chairs wrote previously to National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) President Chris Paul and Executive Director Michele Roberts concerning the contracts between NBA players and Anta, Li-Ning, and Peak, urging the NBPA to educate their members about the use of forced labor in the making of Chinese sportswear and encouraging NBA players to end their endorsement deals with these companies. The NBPA has not responded to the letter from the Chairs.
The text of the letter to Customs and Border Protection can be found here and below.