BEIJING (XINHUA) - China on Friday (Dec 24) said that it deplored and firmly rejected the United States signing of the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act into law

President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law a bill banning goods from China's Xinjiang region unless companies can prove they aren't made with forced labour.

"This Act maliciously denigrates the human rights situation in China's Xinjiang in disregard of facts and truth.

'It seriously violates international law and basic norms governing international relations and grossly interferes in China's internal affairs," a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

The allegations of forced labour and genocide in Xinjiang are nothing but vicious lies concocted by anti-China forces, the spokesman said, adding that Xinjiang's economic development and social stability is recognised by the whole world.

The spokesman noted that the US side keeps using Xinjiang-related issues to create rumours and make trouble.

Essentially it is engaging in political manipulation and economic coercion, and seeking to undermine Xinjiang's prosperity and stability and contain China's development under the pretext of human rights, the spokesman said.

"Xinjiang-related issues are not human rights issues at all, but in essence about countering violent terrorism and separatism.

"The Chinese side sternly warns the US side that crafting conspiracies and plots with Xinjiang-related issues will not stop the pursuit of a better life by people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang or hold back China's development," the spokesman said.

Xinjiang-related issues are purely an internal affair, spokesman added.