The United States and the European Union have not only condemned the human rights abuses and genocide committed by the Chinese government in Uyghur, but have also imposed sanctions and export controls on Chinese companies and officials involved in the Uyghur genocide.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prohibition Act of the United States has restricted the entry of Uyghur forced labor products into the United States. These were beginning to have a strong influence on China's trade. In this situation, the Chinese authorities announced the establishment of a free trade zone in Uyghur.
Experts believe that the construction of the "Xinjiang Free Trade Zone" is China's effort to get rid of the sanctions and restrictions imposed by the United States and Europe and to deny the genocide.
According to the special news of "Xinhua Network" on November 2, 2023, the experimental "Xinjiang Free Trade Zone" held an opening ceremony in Urumqi on November 1 and officially started operations. "Xinjiang Free Trade Zone" includes free trade zones in Urumqi, Khorgas and Kashgar.
According to the news of "Tangritag" on October 31, 2023, the State Cabinet of China has announced the "General Design and Construction Objectives of the China Xinjiang Pilot Free Trade Zone". The plan states that the "Xinjiang Free Trade Pilot Zone will promote high-quality development in the central and western regions and become a core model of the Belt and Road Initiative." The plan also explains that the "free trade zone" is a "bridgehead" in China's trade and economic ties with the West, and it will "actively contribute to the establishment of a China-Central Asia commonwealth with a shared future."
However, there are different opinions about the purpose of China's free trade zone. American political analyst Dr. Andres Corr said that the purpose of the free trade zone is to gain foreign investment and deny the genocide against the Uyghurs. He said:
"China is trying to increase Chinese foreign investment through the ``Xinjiang Free Trade Zone.'' China is trying to kill two birds with one stone. That is to say, on the one hand, to obtain foreign investment, and on the other hand, to win the cooperation of other countries, and to get them to openly deny the genocide in Xinjiang by involving them in economic activities in Xinjiang. At the same time, they aim to export a lot of their products by establishing a free trade zone in Xinjiang.
Dr. Andres Kor said that since the Uighurs were conquered by China, they had no right to establish such free trade zones. He explained his views and said: "Actually, China does not have the right to establish a free trade zone in Xinjiang. Xinjiang is a colonized land. China has no right to establish a free trade zone without the consent of the Uyghurs, who have lived in this land since ancient times.
Mr. Sherifjan Nadirov, a geo-economics expert based in Kazakhstan, refuted China's reverse propaganda, saying that the "China Xinjiang Free Trade Zone" will be established to dump China's cheap goods to Central Asia. This will pose a serious threat to the economy and prospects of Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries in the future, he said.
China's October 31 "Global Time" newspaper's special news revealed the political background of the "China Xinjiang Free Trade Zone". It says:
"China-Xinjiang Free Trade Zone will speed up Xinjiang's economic development. The ``China Xinjiang Free Trade Zone'' will serve as the best proof against the reverse propaganda and slander of the West.
Mr. Abdulaziz Bashtograq, director of Istanbul-based Foreign Trade Consulting Education Services and Tourism Co., Ltd., said that the "Xinjiang Free Trade Zone" does not bring any benefits to Uyghurs. Due to the human rights violations of the Uyghur people by the United States and the European Union, the sanctions imposed on Uyghur products by the Chinese authorities And to get rid of the restrictions, the project has come up with a big plan and design.
Dr. Anders Kor pointed out that the trade China is promoting is not free trade but controlled trade. He also said, "Xinjiang Free Trade Zone" will not bring any benefits to Uyghurs. "The Chinese government is using free trade as a tool to destroy Uyghur culture and assimilate Uyghurs completely into the Chinese."
He added:
“China always wants to export its products abroad. They want foreigners to bring money, materials and technology into their country. Foreigners know that the genocide took place in Xinjiang. China is trying to deny the genocide by cooperating with foreigners and allowing foreigners to do business in Xinjiang. This is truly evil. As you know, this is not free trade, it is a very controlled trade. That's too bad. China is destroying thousands of years of Uyghur culture. China is moving to fully assimilate Uighurs and other Turkic Muslims into Chinese."
Finally, Dr. Andres Boa pointed out that although the US government has achieved some results after implementing embargoes and export bans against Chinese officials and Chinese companies involved in the genocide against the Uyghurs, it has not been as effective as expected. He emphasized that the Chinese authorities are opening new markets to sell products involving Uyghur forced labor in the international market under names such as "free trade zones", and that such products continue to arrive in the United States through various channels.
Myanmar has not yet transferred the assets of Chevron Oil Company
Myanmar has not yet transferred the assets of Chevron Oil Company
In October 2021, seeing Burmese protest against Chevron in the United States.
After Chevron announced in January 2022 that it would leave Myanmar, it announced in February 2023 that all of the company's assets in Myanmar, including 41 percent of the Yadana natural gas exploration project, would be sold to the Canadian company MTI Energy.
A Chevron company spokesman told Reuters last week that Chevron is making plans and preparations for its departure from Myanmar.
On October 31st, the new sanctions of the US government will ban all financial services for the Burmese oil and natural gas company MOGE, which is controlled by the Burmese military council, from December 15th, so when asked by Reuters if there is any difficulty in completing the transfer and sale of Chevron Company's assets to Canada's MTI Company, the official replied that Myanmar has already signed an agreement to sell all Chevron Company's assets without giving a specific answer.
According to the report, it is not yet clear whether the new US sanctions will affect Chevron's transactions.
In the Yadana natural gas project, Chevron's ownership increased from 28 percent to 41.1 percent after the departure of French oil company Total Energies in 2022. The remaining shares of the Yadana project are owned by Thailand-owned energy company PTTEP and military council-controlled MOGE.
Of the six billion cubic feet of natural gas produced annually from the Yadana natural gas exploration project off the coast of Myanmar's Muttama Sea, 30 percent is used in Myanmar and 70 percent is exported to Thailand.