The company was under fire from the Chinese government and was told to “respect facts and tell right from wrong.”
Intel Corp. issued an apology on Thursday after asking suppliers to avoid purchasing goods from the Xinjiang region of China. “We apologize for the trouble caused to our respected Chinese customers, partners and the public,” Intel said in its Thursday statement. “Intel is committed to becoming a trusted technology partner and accelerating joint development with China.” In a letter to suppliers sent this month, Intel asked suppliers to abide by the current U.S. regulations and boycott goods being issued from the region. The Chinese government has been accused of detaining and abusing the region’s Muslim Uyghur population for months. In response to the letter, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that Intel should “respect facts and tell right from wrong.” Intel plays a significant role in the country’s technological development. The company has a chip factory in the northeast city of Dalian and a research facility in Beijing. Processor chips are the primary ones used to create the country’s computers and smartphones, with silica often being produced in Xinjiang.
