U.S. lawmakers have ordered all products sold on the Chinese-owned shopping app Temu to be banned, citing concerns that the fast-growing company is not doing enough to crack down on forced labor. is calling for a ban on imports.
According to The Information, Rep. Blaine Lutkemeyer (R-Missouri) is among several members of Congress who are agitating for the Biden administration to add TEM to the list of companies that violate the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. He is one of the hardliners in China.
The bill, signed into law by President Biden in late 2021, “prevents goods made with forced labor in Xinjiang from entering the U.S. market and furthers accountability for individuals and entities responsible for these abuses.” The purpose is to promote.
China has denied allegations that its government has committed human rights atrocities against the Uyghur Muslim minority in Xinjiang.
If Temu is added to the list, all products sold through the site will be banned from import into the country.
Temu, which is owned by Chinese parent company PDD Holdings, has experienced explosive growth in the U.S. thanks to bargain sales on products, as has another Asia-based e-commerce app, Shein.
Earlier this month, Tem, which stands for “Team Up, Prices Down,” spent $21 million on several ads that aired during the Super Bowl.
Both Shein and Tem have emerged as serious competitors to US retail giants Amazon and Walmart, according to recent sales data.
According to a June 2023 report from the U.S. Congress, Mr. Shein and Mr. Tem together send about 600,000 packages to the United States every day.
Driven by strong demand for low-priced apparel such as $10 tops and $5 biker pants, Shein alone accounts for one-fifth of the global fast fashion market as measured by sales, and China's e-commerce industry It is said to be promoting the growth of Core site research.
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are calling for action in the wake of the threat Shein and Tem pose to American businesses.
The two U.S. countries have called on Mr. Biden to take executive action against companies such as Tem, Shain and Alibaba Group's AliExpress, with U.S. manufacturing struggling with forced labor in key sectors and the country's It claims it cannot compete with lower-cost competitors, which it claims rely on subsidies.
Under U.S. trade law, packages destined for U.S. consumers with a value below a certain standard are exempt from customs duties.
That threshold, which falls into a category known as “de minimis,” is $800 per person per day. The majority of imports are retail goods purchased online.
Alarmed by the large increase in shipments from China, members of both houses of Congress have introduced legislation that would change how the United States treats imports valued at less than $800.
Now, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) have sent a letter to Biden asking him to completely end the tax-exempt status of these products.
In their letter, Mr. Brown and Mr. Scott named Tem, Shein, and AliExpress as companies that have “unfairly” benefited from the duty-free status of their products.
The surge in shipments is hurting big box stores and other retailers in the United States, they said.
“This out-of-control problem is impacting the safety and livelihoods of Americans, as we outsource not only our manufacturing but also our retail sector to China, and as you know, China It systematically uses slave labor, among other conscientious practices,” the senators said.
The Post reached out to Temu, Shein and AliExpress for comment.
The White House has contacted the Post's Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for comment.
with post wire
