China's Xinjiang releases social responsibility report of its cotton textile industry

A reaper harvests cotton in a field in Manas County of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 17, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)

The report said that the cotton textile industry in the region has made remarkable progress in creating jobs, increasing farmers' income and improving people's living standard.

URUMQI, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region published a social responsibility report of its pillar cotton textile industry on Sunday, presenting the history and development of the industry and its importance to local people's livelihoods.

The Xinjiang Cotton Textile Industry Social Responsibility Report was released by the Xinjiang Textile Industry Association in hopes of clarifying facts and building a communication bridge between Chinese and international stakeholders, based on shared values and common interests.

The report consists of seven chapters, covering such aspects as the history and current development of the industry, securing people's livelihood, promoting common prosperity, global value and development outlook of the industry. It is based on surveys, interviews and questionnaires for cotton textile enterprises and employees.

After 70 years' development, the cotton textile industry in Xinjiang has now become vital for people of all ethnic groups in the region, the textile and garment industry of the country, as well as the global textile and garment value chain, the report said.

The cotton textile industry in Xinjiang has made remarkable progress in providing job opportunities, increasing cotton farmers' income, contributing to local economic development, and improving people's living standard, it added.

The average age of the cotton textile employees in Xinjiang is 33.7. All employees interviewed stated that the human resources departments checked their ID cards to verify their age was not below 16, which is the minimum working age prescribed by the country's Labor Law, according to the report.

All the 26 enterprises surveyed have halal restaurants and ethnic minority cuisines are served to meet the dining requirements of the employees of all ethnic groups, it said.

Most cotton textile enterprises have established "factory classrooms" and employee recreation centers. The facilities include courts of basketball, table tennis and badminton, and reading rooms. Some enterprises regularly organize employees to participate in sports games, skills competitions, cultural shows and other recreational activities, according to the report.

Cotton textile enterprises in Xinjiang implement equal pay for equal work, and prohibit gender discrimination, it added.

As Xinjiang's cotton textile industry quickly develops, the production becomes increasingly automatic, continuous, and smart, pushing up the demand for high-end textile machinery, and making it an important buyer in the global textile machinery supply chain, it said.

The Xinjiang cotton textile industry calls on all players in the global textile and garment value chain to strengthen communication, deepen mutual trust, intensify cooperation, share responsibilities, and meet challenges together, the report said. ■