BBC calls for cessation of use of Xinjiang tomatoes China refutes

A reporter asked: On the 3rd, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) released a so-called investigation report, stating that various tomato sauces sold in British supermarkets may contain tomato ingredients from Xinjiang, China, which may be products of "forced labor". The BBC also released a video claiming to expose the involvement of "forced labor" in Xinjiang tomatoes, calling on Western countries to stop using Xinjiang tomato raw materials or finished products. What is the spokesperson's comment on this?

Lin Jian: We have repeatedly emphasized that there is no "forced labor" in Xinjiang, and the Chinese government has always firmly opposed and severely cracked down on "forced labor".

The life of news lies in its truthfulness. Not spreading rumors or relying on biased opinions is the minimum requirement of professional ethics in journalism, and it is also the basic literacy of fair and objective media. In this investigation report and video, many of the so-called "evidence" are based on subjective assumptions such as "claims" and "feelings", which are biased and taken out of context without verification, falsely claiming that there is "forced labor" in the tomato harvesting industry in Xinjiang. It is a typical double standard bias for journalists to spend months researching over a dozen types of tomato sauce, but not willing to spend a second learning the truth about Xinjiang.

In recent years, some people with ulterior motives have continuously used "forced labor" to attract attention and ride on hot topics, with batches of so-called "directors" and "actors" appearing on stage, and so-called "testimonies" and "reports" appearing one after another. Last week we hyped up Xinjiang cotton, and this week we hyped up Xinjiang tomatoes. Next week, are we going to extend our black hands to Xinjiang photovoltaics, Xinjiang carrots, and even Xinjiang beef and mutton? No matter how much slander and smearing is done, it cannot change the essence of high-quality products in Xinjiang, nor can it undermine the fact that Xinjiang's economic and social development is stable and prosperous. We hope that relevant parties can recognize the malicious intentions behind the lie of "forced labor", and also welcome everyone to visit Xinjiang more, taste Xinjiang's tomatoes on site, experience Xinjiang's life, and perceive the real Xinjiang.