The expansion of air cargo routes between China’s Xinjiang province and Europe has sparked growing concern among policymakers, rights groups, and trade experts. In the past year, over 40 new freight routes have been launched, connecting Xinjiang airports to major European destinations including the U.K., Germany, Hungary, Greece, Switzerland, Belgium, Ireland, and Spain. According to an analysis by the Uyghur Human Rights Project (UHRP), more than nine cargo carriers now operate flights from Xinjiang, moving thousands of tons of goods such as e-commerce products, textiles, footwear, electronics, auto parts, and agricultural produce. Many of these sectors are considered highly vulnerable to the use of forced labor.
The UHRP report warns that this surge in flights undermines EU and U.K. supply chain integrity, particularly as governments attempt to screen for forced labor. British lawmaker David Alton highlighted the contradiction between the rise of Xinjiang flights and recent EU commitments to block forced labor-tainted imports. The U.K., he added, risks becoming a “dumping ground” for such goods unless stricter import bans are enforced to supplement the shortcomings of the Modern Slavery Act of 2015. This act requires companies to report annually on steps taken to prevent forced labor in their supply chains but has been criticized as weakly enforced.
Evidence of coercion in Xinjiang is extensive. Governments, academics, the United Nations, and survivor testimonies document widespread forced labor affecting the Uyghur minority. In 2021, British lawmakers recognized China’s actions as genocide, citing the systemic use of forced labor. The U.S. has responded with bans on Xinjiang products, expanding restrictions in 2025. Multinationals have faced challenges as well; Volkswagen withdrew from the region due to its inability to independently verify labor conditions.
At the center of this rapid trade growth is Xinjiang’s Ürümqi airport, positioned by Beijing as a hub of the Air Silk Road strategy, part of the wider Belt and Road Initiative. Chinese officials hailed the expansion of cargo links in 2023, presenting them as evidence of economic integration and global outreach. For China, the Air Silk Road strategy is not only about trade but also about projecting influence, embedding Xinjiang within international logistics networks. Critics, however, argue that this integration risks enabling the export of goods produced with forced labor.
Cargo carriers have offered varied responses. Some, such as Georgia’s CAMEX Airlines and Geo-Sky, argue they only move goods on behalf of freight forwarders and cannot trace their origins. They deny knowingly transporting forced labor-linked products but admit limited oversight of consignments. European Cargo emphasized compliance with U.K. anti-slavery laws and noted recent updates to its practices after court challenges. Other carriers named in the report, including MNG Airlines, ROMCargo, S.F. Airlines, Titan Airways, and Uzbekistan Airways, did not comment.
Despite growing scrutiny, Xinjiang continues to expand its logistics infrastructure, with seven new airports planned to join the 26 already operating. Rights groups warn that without decisive enforcement, laws such as the EU’s Forced Labour Regulation will remain symbolic. Anti-Slavery International urges governments to follow the U.S. example and implement sweeping bans, stressing that due diligence is nearly impossible under state-imposed forced labor systems. Each uninspected shipment, advocates argue, is a failure to act and a potential violation of human rights. The expansion of the Air Silk Road strategy thus presents a dual reality: an economic achievement for Beijing and a serious ethical challenge for Europe and the wider world, where trade interests and human rights enforcement collide. As the Air Silk Road strategy strengthens Xinjiang’s role in global commerce, pressure mounts on European governments to ensure their markets do not become complicit in forced labor supply chains.