AsianFin -- Uniqlo, the popular casual wear brand, is under fire in China following a statement by the CEO of its parent company, Fast Retailing, regarding the sourcing of cotton from Xinjiang. The region has been at the center of controversy due to allegations of forced labor in recent years.

Tadashi Yanai, CEO of Fast Retailing, made the remark during a BBC interview in Tokyo, which was published on Thursday. He confirmed that Uniqlo does not source cotton from Xinjiang, a statement that quickly went viral on Chinese social media.

On Friday, two hashtags related to Yanai's comments gained significant traction on Weibo, with many users expressing outrage towards the brand. Several users vowed to boycott Uniqlo, citing the company's "attitude" and Yanai's "arrogance."

One Weibo user wrote, "With this kind of attitude from Uniqlo, and their founder being so arrogant, they're probably betting that mainland consumers will forget about it in a few days and continue to buy. So, can we stand firm this time?"

The backlash threatens Uniqlo's presence in China, a key market for the brand.