Report uncovers ties between Western companies and forced labor in Xinjiang’s critical minerals industry

Report uncovers ties between Western companies and forced labor in Xinjiang’s critical minerals industry
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On June 11, Global Rights Compliance, an international human rights organization, released an extensive 77-page report exposing connections between Western companies and forced labor in China’s critical minerals industry within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. This report is the first comprehensive investigation to trace supply chain links involving key minerals extracted from a region widely reported to be affected by state-endorsed forced labor targeting the Uyghur minority.

The Xinjiang region, known as East Turkestan by its indigenous non-Han population, is a major player in the global critical minerals market. China controls the extraction and processing of 30 out of 44 essential minerals used in sectors such as electronics, aerospace, energy, and defense. Trade from Xinjiang increased by 21.8% in 2024, totaling nearly USD 60 billion, with countries like the US and UK boosting imports from the region.

The report names at least 68 multinational corporations—including Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Walmart, and Costa Coffee—linked to supply chains involving forced labor. It also identifies 77 companies in Xinjiang’s critical minerals sector, 15 of which have sourced directly from the region in the last two years. Due to the lack of transparency in China’s supply chains, the real figures are likely higher.

The findings detail systematic oppression of Uyghurs, including widespread surveillance, detention, and forced labor transfers, describing these actions as state-mandated forced labor potentially amounting to crimes against humanity, a view supported by the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary slavery. Notably, Xinjiang Nonferrous, a lithium processing firm, appears on the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act list due to its involvement in forced labor.

The report calls on Western governments and businesses to increase supply chain oversight, pass laws to combat forced labor, and lessen reliance on Chinese critical minerals, emphasizing the urgent need to address ongoing human rights abuses in Xinjiang.