Intel apologised on Thursday for asking suppliers to avoid sourcing goods from Xinjiang after the world’s biggest chipmaker joined other foreign brands that face the fury of state media over complaints of abuses by the ruling Communist Party in the mostly Muslim region.
Intel’s request was “arrogant and vicious”, said Global Times, a newspaper published by the ruling party. “So-called forced labour and other allegations on Xinjiang are completely lies concocted by anti-China forces,” said foreign ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian.
Netizens also expressed anger at Intel’s letter. On China’s Twitter-like Weibo microblog service, singer Karry Wang said he would no longer serve as brand ambassador for Intel, adding in a statement that “national interests exceed everything”.
Many Weibo users also called on Chinese citizens to boycott Intel, with one posting under the name “Old Catalan” saying, “Must resist, do not buy!”
Meanwhile, China has set a 10-day deadline for entertainers and social media influencers to pay overdue taxes, part of a government campaign to tighten the noose on tax evasion and celebrity excesses.
Also, Jilin in northeast China is offering married couples bank loans of up to 200,000 yuan ($31,400) if they have kids, joining other provinces in the roll-out of financial incentives to overcome a declining population.
{{/usCountry}}Also, Jilin in northeast China is offering married couples bank loans of up to 200,000 yuan ($31,400) if they have kids, joining other provinces in the roll-out of financial incentives to overcome a declining population.
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