China’s Uyghur Labor Programs Expand, Raising Forced Labor Concerns for Global Brands
A joint investigation by The New York Times, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, and Der Spiegel reveals that tens of thousands of Uyghurs are being sent to various Chinese factory towns, often in groups. These state-led labor transfer programs, which involve Uyghurs in making goods for many well-known international brands, are far more extensive than previously documented. While China claims these programs address poverty and unemployment, experts from the United Nations, academia, and human rights organizations, like Rahima Mahmut of Stop Uyghur Genocide, assert their coercive nature, describing the experience as akin to being “dragged out of their homes.”
The Chinese Embassy in Washington denies any forced labor allegations, stating that “Xinjiang-related issues are not human rights issues at all, but in essence about countering violent terrorism and separatism.” However, internal Chinese documents leaked in 2019 suggested that after a series of violent incidents, top leader Xi Jinping intensified repression in Xinjiang, including internment camps and forced labor. Anthropologist Adrian Zenz notes that the labor transfer program was also used to control Uyghurs not in camps, who were deemed “idle” and a threat. A 2018 report by Nankai University scholars even proposed expanding the program to reduce Uyghur population density and “assimilate” the ethnic group.
Leaked police files further indicate that resistance to government programs, including labor transfers, can lead to arrest. Some Uyghurs reportedly choose to participate due to constant surveillance and limited opportunities in Xinjiang, while government officials are incentivized to meet recruitment targets.
The expanded reach of these programs poses a significant challenge to international efforts, like the U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and similar EU legislation, aimed at preventing goods made with forced labor from entering their markets. These laws face a “blind spot” as tracking workers relocated from Xinjiang to factories across China is difficult. While some companies, including Volkswagen and LG, have been linked to suppliers reportedly receiving Uyghur workers, many have either not commented, cited policies prohibiting forced labor, or denied violations without specifically addressing the transfer programs.
