BEIJING (Reuters) – Burberry has lost a Chinese brand ambassador, and its distinctive tartan design has been removed from a popular video game, becoming the first luxury brand to be attacked by the Chinese reaction to Western allegations of abuse in Xinjiang.
China on Friday sanctioned organizations and individuals in the United Kingdom for what it called “lies and misinformation” about Xinjiang, days after Britain imposed sanctions for alleged human rights violations in China’s western region.
Burberry is a member of the Better Cotton Initiative, a group that promotes sustainable cotton production, which said in October that it was suspending the approval of cotton from Xinjiang, citing human rights concerns.
Award-winning Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu has terminated her contract with Burberry as the brand’s ambassador because Burberry has not “clearly and publicly expressed its position on Xinjiang cotton,” her agency said on Thursday.
The company’s iconic checkered design has also been removed from the clothing worn by characters in Tencent Holdings Ltd’s hugely popular “Honor of the Kings” video game, according to a post on the game’s official Weibo account, earning praise from Internet users. China.
Burberry China did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. Burberry cotton comes from the United States, Australia, Turkey, India and Egypt, according to its website.
The reaction – especially in social and traditional media – has also engulfed mass-market brands such as H&M, Adidas AG and Nike Inc., which have previously expressed critical views on working conditions in Xinjiang, the most China’s largest cotton-producing region.
UN rights activists and experts have accused China of using mass detention, torture, forced labor and sterilization of Xinjiang Uyghurs. China denies the allegations and says its actions in the region are necessary to counter extremism.
In a letter to British lawmakers in November, Burberry said it had no operations in Xinjiang and did not work with any suppliers based there, adding that it did not accept any form of modern slavery among its suppliers, including forced labor. or involuntarily from prison. .
China’s National Textile and Clothing Council in a statement on Friday called on international brands to stop “misbehavior”, including the exclusion of Xinjiang cotton from their supply chain out of respect for Chinese customers.
Hong Kong lawmaker Queen Ip has said she will stop buying Burberry.
“Burberry is one of my favorite brands. But I will stop buying Burberry products. I stand by my country in boycotting companies that spread lies about Xinjiang, “Ip wrote on her Twitter account.
Reporting by Ryan Woo and the Beijing editorial office; Edited by Edwina Gibbs