Proponents of tougher trade enforcement and advocates for workers told U.S. trade officials that a combination of new tariffs, import bans and stricter supply-chain controls are needed to confront forced labor practices in China and other countries.
The comments were delivered at a two-day public hearing convened by the U.S. Trade Representative under its "Section 301" unfair trade practices inquiry into what it describes as 60 countries' failure to enforce bans on imports of goods produced with forced labor. Approximately 60 witnesses are scheduled to testify during the proceeding.
Scope and timing of the probes
The forced labor investigation, which was launched in mid-March, is running alongside a separate review into excess industrial capacity. Both are part of an administration effort to rebuild tariff pressure on trading partners after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down global tariffs imposed under a national emergencies law earlier this year. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said he wants to finish the probes by July, when a temporary 10% tariff is due to expire.
The inquiry could yield measures aimed at a wide array of countries. While China and Russia are among the named targets, testimony and submissions also referenced U.S. allies and partners including Australia, Canada, the European Union, Britain, Israel, India, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Proposals from pro-tariff groups
Representatives of pro-tariff organizations advocated pairing tariff actions with quantitative import-management tools tailored to the forced labor problem. The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) urged the USTR to adopt measures such as import licensing for supply chains with documented forced-labor risks and to require importers to prove that their goods were not produced with forced labor before customs clearance.
In prepared testimony, CPA senior economist Mihir Torsekar argued that forced labor functions as a hidden production subsidy, writing: "When a producer pays workers nothing, or suppresses wages through debt bondage, document confiscation, or state-imposed coercion, the cost savings flow directly into lower unit production costs." Torsekar also proposed new tariff rate quotas for sectors deemed high risk - including solar products, cotton textiles and seafood - which would cap import volumes and permit quota allocations based on demonstrated compliance with forced-labor provisions.
Xinjiang and existing U.S. measures
U.S. officials have already taken targeted action against goods from China’s Xinjiang region. The United States enforces a general ban on imports originating in Xinjiang, a region that produces a significant share of the world’s cotton and polysilicon. The administration has accused China of detaining millions of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in camps where goods are produced, and such products are barred from U.S. entry under the Uighur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
Several witnesses at the hearing said other countries have not implemented comparable prohibitions on Xinjiang-origin goods as the region expands its role in critical minerals production. They urged USTR to press trading partners to adopt enforcement tools analogous to the U.S. rebuttable presumption for shipments from high-risk regions.
Human rights groups urge stronger, enforceable bans
Human rights organizations called for the United States to push for enforceable import bans in trade agreements. Samir Goswami, director of forced labor programs at Global Rights Compliance, said Britain’s Modern Slavery Act emphasizes corporate supply chain transparency but "does not prohibit the import of goods made with forced labor." He described an EU regulation as stronger but noted it will not be fully effective until 2027.
Goswami warned that without tools comparable to the U.S. rebuttable presumption for regions like Xinjiang, authorities could face substantial difficulties in identifying forced labor within opaque supply chains. He recommended that the U.S. seek enforceable import prohibitions on forced-labor goods as part of trade agreements.
Industry caution against broad tariffs
Not all parties supported expanding tariff use. Industry groups representing importers of consumer electronics and other goods urged restraint, cautioning that broad tariffs could be an inappropriate response to the forced labor issue.
The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) said the USTR should establish a clear connection between a country’s forced labor enforcement regime and any burden on U.S. commerce before imposing tariff measures. "The relevant question is whether forced-labor goods enter the U.S. market, not whether they enter foreign markets," CTA Vice President of International Trade Ed Brzytwa wrote in public comments submitted to the USTR.
The association recommended that USTR consider alternatives to new tariffs, such as coordinated international assistance to help other countries build stronger forced-labor prohibitions. The CTA warned against measures that could shift costs onto workers rather than addressing the root practices of forced labor.
What to expect from the hearing record
The hearing will compile testimony from advocacy organizations, human rights groups, U.S. industry representatives and officials from foreign governments. The record will inform USTR’s decisions on whether and how to proceed with trade actions that could range from tariff adjustments to quantitative import controls and enhanced import-screening procedures for high-risk supply chains.