{"id":2595248,"date":"2026-04-26T07:30:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-26T11:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-lobbying-firm-does-bidding-of-entity-linked-to-uyghur-repression\/"},"modified":"2026-04-26T07:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T11:32:12","slug":"top-lobbying-firm-does-bidding-of-entity-linked-to-uyghur-repression","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-lobbying-firm-does-bidding-of-entity-linked-to-uyghur-repression\/","title":{"rendered":"Top lobbying firm does bidding of entity linked to Uyghur repression"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftop-lobbying-firm-does-bidding-of-entity-linked-to-uyghur-repression%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2595248&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Akin Gump-listed as the fourth-largest U.S.lobbying firm by revenue-is reportedly being hired too advocate for United Solar Polysilicon in U.S. trade policy. The company is led by founder Longgen Zhang, whom the U.S. government has linked to forced-labor and human-rights abuses involving China\u2019s repression of Uyghurs.<\/p>\n<p>The article says Zhang previously led Daqo New Energy (including serving as vice chairman of a Xinjiang subsidiary) and that, during and around his tenure, U.S.agencies added the company to major federal restriction lists. According to the article, the Department of Commerce placed Xinjiang Daqo New Energy on the Entity List for allegedly \u201cparticipating in\u201d forced labor involving Uyghurs, and later the Department of Homeland Security added it to the Uyghur forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List, which the article says restricts the firm\u2019s ability to sell in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>It adds that United Solar Polysilicon denies any involvement, with a company spokesman arguing the UFLPA listing is a risk-based designation rather then an adjudicated finding, and that Daqo has denied the allegations. The piece also notes undisclosed payment amounts to Akin Gump, and states that polysilicon is a key input for solar panels.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>Akin Gump, the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.opensecrets.org\/federal-lobbying\/top-lobbying-firms\">fourth largest<\/a> lobbying firm in the country by revenue, is being paid to advocate for a polysilicon manufacturer led by an individual whom the U.S. government has linked to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/china\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"232\">China\u2019s<\/a> repression of the Uyghur people.<\/p>\n<p>In September 2025, Akin Gump entered into a lobbying contract with United Solar Polysilicon to represent its interests on trade policy, according to a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/lda.gov\/filings\/public\/filing\/eda7a0c7-5907-47ce-8581-30bd78fc3424\/print\/\">March 31 disclosure<\/a>. United Solar Polysilicon is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/united-solar-polysilicon-fzc-spc_ceosummit-omanarabbank-leadership-activity-7392141432679108608-xkfx\/\">led<\/a> by its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unitedsolarholding.com\/investor\">founder<\/a>, Longgen Zhang. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4542910\/how-souther-poverty-law-center-civil-rights-became-liberal-attack-dog\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>How the SPLC, once a defender of civil rights, became a liberal attack dog<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4541758\/how-minnesota-attorney-general-keith-ellison-is-embroiled-in-the-feeding-our-future-scandal\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>How Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is embroiled in the Feeding Our Future scandal<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4540622\/splc-allegedly-spent-million-infiltrating-national-alliance\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>SPLC allegedly spent over $1 million infiltrating hate group it publicly claimed was \u2018almost irrelevant\u2019<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>Zhang was the CEO of Daqo New Energy, another polysilicon manufacturer, from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/daqo-new-energy-appoints-mr-longgen-zhang-as-chief-executive-officer-300582958.html#:~:text=CHONGQING%2C%20China%2C%20Jan.,Currently%2C%20Mr.\">2018<\/a> to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dqsolar.com\/2023-08-03-Daqo-New-Energy-Announces-Leadership-Changes#:~:text=He%20has%20been%20a%20highly,SOURCE%20Daqo%20New%20Energy%20Corp.\">2023<\/a>, according to press releases. He also served as the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yicaiglobal.com\/star50news\/2024_02_186659216272871391238\">vice chairman<\/a> of Xinjiang Daqo New Energy, a subsidiary of the company based in China\u2019s Uyghur-inhabited far west, from 2018 to 2022.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>During his tenure at Daqo New Energy, the Chinese manufacturing magnate landed in hot water with the federal government multiple times over his links to the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s repression of religious and ethnic minorities. The U.S. government, under both <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/world\/in-parting-shot-trump-administration-accuses-china-of-genocide-against-uighur-idUSKBN29O25E\/\">Republican<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.axios.com\/2021\/12\/23\/biden-signs-uyghur-forced-labor-bill\">Democratic<\/a> administrations, as well as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.humanrightsresearch.org\/post\/persecution-of-uyghurs-in-xinjiang-torture-crimes-against-humanity-and-genocide\">international observers<\/a> and other <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/uhrp.org\/responses\/\">foreign governments<\/a>, have described the CCP\u2019s treatment of Uyghurs as a genocide. <\/p>\n<p>In June 2021, for instance, the Department of Commerce <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.commerce.gov\/news\/press-releases\/2021\/06\/commerce-department-adds-five-chinese-entities-entity-list\">added<\/a> Xinjiang Daqo New Energy to the Bureau of Industry and Security\u2019s Entity List \u2014 a catalog of entities that the U.S. government has deemed a risk to its national security or foreign policy interests. This decision was made after the DOC determined that Zhang\u2019s company was \u201cparticipating in the practice of, accepting, or utilizing, forced labor involving Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then, roughly a year later, while Zhang was still the vice chairman of Xinjiang Daqo New Energy, the Department of Homeland Security added the company to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dhs.gov\/uflpa-entity-list\">Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List<\/a> \u2014 a register established to track and punish firms benefiting from slave labor.<\/p>\n<p>Xinjiang Daqo New Energy is part of a group of companies that \u201cmine, produce, or manufacture wholly or in part any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise with forced labor,\u201d according to DHS.<\/p>\n<p>Placement on the two entity lists severely restricted Daqo New Energy\u2019s ability to sell its goods to Americans.<\/p>\n<p>From the U.S. government\u2019s perspective, Zhang did not resolve the issue of forced Uyghur labor before leaving Daqo New Energy to found United Solar Polysilicon in 2023. In November 2024, DHS found that Xinjiang Daqo New Energy was sourcing materials from <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >government-run forced labor programs<\/a> in China\u2019s far west.<\/p>\n<p>Before joining Daqo New Energy, Zhang was an executive at JinkoSolar, another Chinese firm that has been <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/01\/08\/business\/economy\/china-solar-companies-forced-labor-xinjiang.html\">accused<\/a> of benefiting from China\u2019s repression of ethnic and religious minorities.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2021-05-11\/solar-giant-to-hire-auditor-as-china-forced-labor-scrutiny-grows\">Daqo New Energy<\/a> and Zhang himself have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2021-05-11\/solar-giant-to-hire-auditor-as-china-forced-labor-scrutiny-grows\">denied any involvement<\/a> in the repression of Uyghurs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMr. Zhang was not personally implicated in any UFLPA violation investigation,\u201d a spokesman for United Solar Polysilicon told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cWe understand the inclusion on the UFLPA Entity List reflects U.S. government\u2019s risk-based designation framework rather than an adjudicated finding of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/senate-bill-would-stop-us-companies-from-using-chinese-slave-labor\/\" title=\"Senate Bill Would Stop US Companies From Using Chinese ...\">forced labor violations<\/a>. We also understand Daqo has denied these allegations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The spokesman stated that United Solar Polysilicon \u201cis in full compliance with globally recognized labor and environmental laws in addition to adhering to the highest [environmental, social and governance] standards.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>China faces accusations of subjecting Muslim minorities in its far west to internment, sterilization, forced abortions, indoctrination, enslavement, and sexual assault. The CCP has detained over 1 million Uyghurs since 2017, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cfr.org\/backgrounders\/china-xinjiang-uyghurs-muslims-repression-genocide-human-rights\">according<\/a> to the Council on Foreign Relations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLobbyists who represent the Chinese Communist Party or its agents are traitors to the United States,\u201d Michael Lucci, CEO of the national security organization State Armor, told the <em>Washington Examiner<\/em>. \u201cThe CCP is an enemy state responsible for trying to overturn the US<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/charles-lipson-putin-ends-the-post-cold-war-order\/\" title=\"Charles Lipson: Putin Ends the Post-Cold War Order\">-led global order<\/a> and for the mass murder of our fellow Americans through an intentional flood of fentanyl. They should have no voice in our political system. Congress should follow the State of Texas\u2019s example by enacting a law (HB 119) that prohibits lobbyists from accepting payment from the CCP or other foreign adversaries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>One-time Democratic staffer Brian Pomper, a partner at Akin Gump who is one of the top trade lobbyists in D.C., is registered to represent United Solar Polysilicon. The other lobbyist on the account, Joseph Fawkner, was a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-atf-nominee-has-long-history-of-anti-gun-statements\/\" title=\"Biden ATF Nominee Has Long History of Anti-Gun Statements\">senior policy adviser<\/a> to Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) from 2020 to 2022 and specializes in international trade.<\/p>\n<p>How much United Solar Polysilicon is paying Akin Gump for its services is, as of yet, undisclosed.<\/p>\n<p>United Solar Polysilicon, while headquartered in Oman, is partially owned by the Chinese private equity firm IDG Capital, which owns about 25% of the venture, according to disclosures.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3410536\/lobbyists-amazon-chinese-goods-state-governments-mark-cochran-legislation\/\"><strong>AMAZON WAGES QUIET WAR TO STOP STATES FROM TAKING CHINESE EQUIPMENT OUT OF GOVERNMENT OFFICES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Polysilicon is a key material used in the manufacturing of solar panels.<\/p>\n<p>Akin Gump did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Akin Gump won a 2025 lobbying contract for United Solar Polysilicon, led by Longgen Zhang, whom the U.S. links to Uyghur repression<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":894,"featured_media":2595249,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fea.Scamming5.042226.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[36930,4198,78605],"class_list":["post-2595248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-human-rights","tag-lobbying","tag-uyghur-repression"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fea.Scamming5.042226.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/894"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2595248"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2595252,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595248\/revisions\/2595252"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2595249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2595248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2595248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2595248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}