Azerbaijan is seeking closer industrial cooperation with a Chinese company that the United States has placed on its forced-labour blacklist because of alleged links to labour-transfer programmes involving Uyghurs-mes involving Uyghurs and other persecuted minorities. The talks may help Baku expand its aluminum industry, but they also create a serious ethical, legal and reputational problem.
On 13 August 2026, Azerbaijani Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov met Ma Bing, deputy general manager of Xinjiang Joinworld Co Ltd. The discussions covered joint projects, modern technology, innovation, technical knowledge and the transfer of expertise in aluminum and metallurgy.
The company is formally known as Xinjiang Zhonghe Co Ltd. In November 2024, the United States added it to the Entity List under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, saying there was “reasonable cause to believe” that it worked with the Xinjiang authorities to recruit and transfer Uyghurs and other persecuted minorities.
The central question is therefore not only what Azerbaijan hopes to gain from the partnership. It is also whether economic development can be built through cooperation with a company facing serious forced-labour allegations.
Why Azerbaijan Is Interested Despite Uyghur Concerns
Azerbaijan already produces primary aluminum through Azeraluminium, described as the only primary aluminum producer in the South Caucasus. The government now wants to move beyond exporting basic metal and develop higher-value products, including rolled aluminum, profiles and specialized alloys.
This fits Baku’s broader plan to diversify its economy beyond oil and gas. Azerbaijan also wants to use its position on the Middle Corridor, the trade route connecting China and Europe through Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Cooperation with Chinese companies could bring technology, investment and industrial expertise. For Azerbaijan, the potential benefits include new production facilities, skilled employment, stronger exports and a more advanced manufacturing sector.
Yet the publicly available information does not provide details about the size of the proposed investment, production capacity, financing or timeline. The talks appear to be at an early stage. That gives Azerbaijan an opportunity to examine the human-rights and supply-chain risks before signing any final agreement.
What the US Designation Means for Uyghur Forced-Labour Risks
The United States added Xinjiang Join world to its UFLPA Entity List because of alleged cooperation with the Xinjiang government in recruiting and transferring Uyghurs and other persecuted groups. Goods connected to entities on the list face a legal presumption that they were produced using forced labour and may be blocked from entering the US market.
This does not mean that every product made by the company has been individually proven in court to contain forced labour. However, the designation means US authorities consider the available evidence serious enough to restrict imports unless companies can meet demanding requirements.
The listing also creates possible complications for Azerbaijan. If aluminum or other products made through a future partnership are linked to Xinjiang Join world, buyers in Western markets may demand detailed proof of origin and labour conditions. Azerbaijan’s non-oil exports could face reputational damage even if the government itself does not directly employ forced labour.
Why Uyghur Human-Rights Concerns Matter
Human Rights Watch has documented forced labour, arbitrary detention, mass surveillance, religious persecution and cultural repression affecting Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim communities in Xinjiang.
The forced-labour issue is connected to a wider system. Uyghurs may be transferred from their home areas into factories or farms far from their families. These program-mes are often presented by Chinese authorities as poverty reduction or employment initiatives. Human-rights investigators argue that workers cannot freely refuse or leave such assignments.
This makes corporate due diligence especially important. A company can claim that its workers are employed legally while concealing the pressure, surveillance or punishment surrounding their employment. Independent verification is difficult because Xinjiang remains heavily restricted and outside researchers often cannot freely interview workers.
Azerbaijan’s Responsibility on Uyghur Forced-Labour Risks
Azerbaijan has the right to seek industrial development and international partnerships. But development should not come at the cost of human dignity or access to major export markets.
Before approving cooperation, Baku should require independent labour audits, full supply-chain transparency and clear guarantees that no Uyghur or other persecuted minority has been recruited through coercion. The government should also publish the agreement, investment terms and origin of raw materials.
Companies from democratic economies may refuse to work with Xinjiang join world because of the US designation. If Azerbaijan proceeds without strong safeguards, it could appear to place short-term industrial gains above the rights of Uyghurs.
The Uyghur Dilemma and Its Global Consequences
The talks between Azerbaijan and Xinjiang Joinworld are more than a technical discussion about aluminum. They connect industrial policy with human rights, international trade and the global response to alleged abuses against Uyghurs.
Azerbaijan now faces a clear choice. It can pursue industrial modernisation while demanding strict labour protections and transparent sourcing, or it can accept a partnership that carries unresolved forced-labour allegations.
Economic progress has value only when it respects human freedom. Any agreement involving Xinjiang Joinworld should therefore be judged not merely by the technology it brings to Azerbaijan, but also by the human cost hidden behind the supply chain.