With this action, Beijing is retaliating against claims made by human rights advocates and western authorities that cotton and other products in the area were made with Uyghur forced labor.
Citing those concerns, the US banned imports from the region in 2021.
The company was accused of “boycotting Xinjiang cotton and other products without any factual basis” by China’s Ministry of Commerce.
The two brands are owned by PVH, which is well-known in both China and the US. PVH did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
It has already declared that it adheres with all applicable laws, including the US Xinjiang legislation, in the areas where it conducts business.
It has 30 days to reply to the Chinese authorities, failing which it may be placed on the list of “unreliable entities” in China and face additional penalties.
An spokesman from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce refuted on Wednesday any connection between the investigation and US intentions to outlaw specific Chinese electric car technologies.
They noted that China has always approached the problem of the untrustworthy entity list with caution, focusing on a very limited number of international companies that flout Chinese laws and market regulations.
