China erasing H&M from Internet amid Xinjiang backlash

The Chinese e-commerce site Taobao displays the message 'Sorry, no related items were found' when searching for products from clothing retailer H&M, as seen on a computer screen in Beijing, Friday. — AP

HONG KONG: H&M disappeared from the Internet in China as the government raised pressure on shoe and clothing brands and announced sanctions Friday against British officials in a spiralling fight over complaints of abuses in the Xinjiang region.

H&M products were missing from major e-commerce platforms including Alibaba and JD.com following calls by state media for a boycott over the Swedish retailer's decision to stop buying cotton from Xinjiang. That hurts H&M's ability to reach customers in a country where more than a fifth of shopping is online.