Germany’s LKS has announced its partnership with Chinese printer giant Ninestar and G&G, becoming their first official service partner in the country. While this expands European support for printers and electronics, it raises eyebrows: Ninestar is on the U.S. Entity List for forced-labor violations linked to Xinjiang.

By teaming up, LKS risks association with a company under global scrutiny. European customers may now wonder: is convenience worth the potential reputational fallout? With U.S. import bans and international pressure mounting, critics argue that partnerships like this ignore ethical responsibility in pursuit of market growth.