Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labour, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 82 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen. These categories appear likely to include additional manufacturers and intermediate supply chain participants outside of the XUAR. (Photo by Anna Fifield/The Washington Post via Getty Images), Nike, Adidas, Apple, Microsoft and Samsung are among 83 multinationals that have been linked to forced labor by Uighurs in factories across China, according to a new study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). They added: The tainted global supply chain that results from these practices means that it is now difficult to guarantee that products manufactured in China are free from forced labour., This is a BETA experience. An investigation by the Associated Press published in June found that the Chinese government is committing demographic genocide against Uighur Muslims through forced abortions, birth control, mass detentions, and imprisonment. Using Amazon's June 2021 supplier list, the TTP said it found five of the companies on the list had publicly known links to forced labor programs called "labor transfers," which. DHS issued a Notice Seeking Public Comments in the Federal Register on January 24, 2022 on methods to prevent the importation of goods produced using forced labor from the People's Republic of China, specifically from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Nov. 17, 201801:48. Check the below Frequently Asked Questions to see if your questions about UFLPA Strategymay be answered here. Byler said the Chinese government's use of forced labor in the Xinjiang region has long been established, but has stepped up since 2017, when the most recent crackdown on Uighurs began. It will place new requirements on a wide range of industries that rely on labor from Xinjiang, especially apparel, automotive, technology, food & beverage, and solar companies. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. Further complicating the matter are Chinas poverty alleviation and pairing assistance programs, some of which forcibly relocate Uyghur and other minorities as laborers outside of Xinjiang. The UFLPA mandates a review and strategy-development process expected to result in the identification of additional parties whose products will be presumed to derive from forced labor and banned from import. Read the FLETF'sStrategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the Peoples Republic of China. Thus, investment in supply chain due diligence, compliance and contractual requirements for commercial partners may emerge as a key development in 2022. The UFLPA reflects an expansion of U.S. policy efforts over the past two years to address reported violations of human rights in the XUAR. The rebuttable presumption goes into effect on June 21, 2022. However, each company and industry will have unique risks and therefore we may see bespoke risk assessments, supply chain ethical goals and resulting due diligence approaches. Some companies have even advertised their ability to supply Uighur workers through online bookings. The UFLPA also appears to envision a supply chain compliance program meeting certain minimum standards. 2023 Vox Media, LLC. -- the side where the Uighur workers enter and exit, and live in dorms -- looks almost like a prison. This statute expands on those earlier efforts and is likely to impact a large number of U.S. companies, non-U.S. companies engaged in manufacturing or distribution in the United States, and other importers. The programs target the countrys Muslim minority population, particularly Uyghurs living in Xinjiang. Check the below Frequently Asked Questions to see if your questions about UFLPA Enforcement may be answered here. The laws rebuttable presumption means companies whose supply chains touch Xinjiangor utilize Xinjiang-exported laborwill have to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that their products are free of forced labor. The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2021. Under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which comes into effect on June 21, President Joe Biden's administration assumes anything made even partially in Xinjiang is produced with forced . We invited Apple, Esprit, and Fila to respond; they did not. As the TTP points out, Amazons supply chain standards (PDF) specifically rule out forced labor. Brands Can't Confidently Say No. They are grouped into different categories and listed below. While some of the enforcement specifics of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act will be clarified over the next six months, it is clear that grand statements from corporations are no longer enough. Rebutting the Forced Labor Presumption Any dollar that goes to these brands is a dollar that goes into the factories profiting off of Uyghur forced labor. Chinese parents who have more than a few children are often sent to detention camps or subjected to huge fines, the publication found, and police instill terror into families by raiding homes searching for hidden children. Apr 9, 2022. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Over several years, the group has been subject to a number of human rights abuses within the country, including internment camps, constant surveillance, mass sterilization, and forced labor. Following a public comment period, the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force will describe how companies can adequately demonstrate that their imports originating from China are not made with forced labor. Companies will need to comply with the law 180 days after its December 23, 2021 enactment. Here are some of the 83 brands listed in the report as being connected to those factories using forced labor. The factory, Haoyuanpeng Clothing Manufacturing Co. Ltd, lists Fila, Adidas, Puma and Nike among its clients. They include. Apple lists both . This op-ed was originally published by the New York Times on January 20, 2021. Please note that this notice may serve as an aggravating factor should CBP take enforcement action upon determining future violations of the Act. "Apple has zero tolerance for forced labor," Rosenstock said. Thereport listedpopular clothing companies Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Gap, Calvin Klein, H&M, L.L.Bean, Lacoste,Nike, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, and Victorias Secret, as well as General Motors, Goertek, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, and more. A lock ( The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), hereafter referred to as the Act, was signed into law by President Biden on December 23, 2021. DHSs New Criminal Enforcement Initiative to Prosecute Corporations for Forced Labor, Slavery in Supply Chains: CBP Petitions Raise New Forced Labor Compliance Risks, Recent DOJ Action Creates Uncertainty for Information-Sharing Programs, NLRB Invalidates Common Confidentiality and Non-Disparagement Clauses in Severance Agreements, U.S. Attorneys Offices Adopt New Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Primark has been involved in child labor and modern slavery scandals before. or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Most fashion brands can't promise their products aren't implicated, with concern spreading from fast-fashion and sportswear giants to major luxury groups. I was born in a re-education camp at the height of China's infamous Cultural Revolution. In one case, a batch of graduates from a so-called vocational training center in south Xinjiang were transferred directly to a factory in the eastern Anhui province, according to a government report. (Amazon and Facebook told The Information they wouldnt work with suppliers using forced labor; Google and Microsoft didnt respond. This action targets these entities ability to access commodities, software, and technology subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and is part of a U.S. Government-wide effort to take strong action against Chinas ongoing campaign of repression against Muslim minority groups in the XUAR. Amazon suppliers must not use forced labor slave, prison, indentured, bonded, or otherwise, its standards read. Baoding LYSZD Trade and Business Co., Ltd. Changji Esquel Textile Co. Ltd. (and one alias : Changji Yida Textile), Hetian Haolin Hair Accessories Co. Ltd. (and two aliases: Hotan Haolin Hair Accessories; and Hollin Hair Accessories), Hetian Taida Apparel Co., Ltd (and one alias: Hetian TEDA Garment), Hoshine Silicon Industry (Shanshan) Co., Ltd (including one alias: Hesheng Silicon Industry (Shanshan) Co.) and subsidiaries, Xinjiang Daqo New Energy, Co. Ltd (including three aliases: Xinjiang Great New Energy Co., Ltd.; Xinjiang Daxin Energy Co., Ltd.; and Xinjiang Daqin Energy Co., Ltd.), Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co. Ltd. (including one alias: Xinjiang Nonferrous), Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Technology, Co. Ltd (including one alias: Xinjiang GCL New Energy Materials Technology Co.). The UFLPA also requires the interagency Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, chaired by the Secretary of Homeland Security, and in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and Director of National Intelligence, to develop and submit to Congress a strategy for supporting CBPs enforcement of Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 with respect to goods, wares, articles, and merchandise produced with forced labor in the Peoples Republic of China. Crypto company Gemini is having some trouble with fraud, Some Pixel phones are crashing after playing a certain YouTube video. Activists have launched a campaign accusing firms of . U.S. remote-control maker Universal Electronics Inc told Reuters it struck a deal with authorities in Xinjiang to transport hundreds of Uyghur workers to its plant in the southern Chinese city of . The Biden administration has been vocal about human rights in China and other jurisdictions, and efforts to enforce supply chain ethics appear to have bipartisan support. The latest report titled Uyghurs For Sale, from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, reveals a vast network of companies complicit in the mass detention of Uyghurs and other Turkic people. The report listed popular clothing companies Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Gap, Calvin Klein, H&M, L.L.Bean, Lacoste, Nike, The North Face, Polo Ralph Lauren, Puma, Skechers, Tommy Hilfiger, Zara, and Victorias Secret, as well as General Motors, Goertek, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagon, and more. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS ASPI stated that it had found 27 factories in 9 Chinese provinces that are using Uyghur labor transferred from Xinjiang since 2017. Best practices for compliance and supply chain due diligence still are evolving. All Rights Reserved, By submitting your email, you agree to our. The Washington Postreported Tuesdaythat Apple supplier Lens Technology uses Uighur workers in its factories, according to documents obtained by the Tech Transparency Project. A number of countries have also imposed sanctions on Xinjiang, with the US moving ban imports from Xinjiang altogether in December. Xinjiang Junggar Cotton and Linen Co., Ltd. Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (including three aliases: XPCC; Xinjiang Corps; and Bingtuan) and its subordinate and affiliated entities, Aksu Huafu Textiles Co. (including two aliases: Akesu Huafu and Aksu Huafu Dyed Melange Yarn), Hefei Bitland Information Technology Co., Ltd. (including three aliases: Anhui Hefei Baolongda Information Technology; Hefei Baolongda Information Technology Co., Ltd.; and Hefei Bitland Optoelectronic Technology Co., Ltd.), Hefei Meiling Co. Ltd. (including one alias: Hefei Meiling Group Holdings Limited), KTK Group (including three aliases: Jiangsu Jinchuang Group; Jiangsu Jinchuang Holding Group; and KTK Holding). This report must include both the goods and the evidence considered. Hoshine Silicon Industry (Shanshan) Co., Ltd. Xinjiang East Hope Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. Xinjiang GCL New Energy Material Technology Co., Ltd. Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC). Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. The UFLPA Entity List can be found in the Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People's Republic of China and the Federal Register Notice on the Addition of Entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. The report and process for its preparation also are designed to help CBP improve its capacity to administer the import ban. Address: One Bowerman Drive Beaverton, OR 97005. CBP's UFLPA importer guidance is available at CBP.gov. LAIXI, CHINA - JANUARY 8, 2020: The fences along the side of the Qingdao Taekwang Shoes Co. factory [+] -- the side where the Uighur workers enter and exit, and live in dorms -- looks almost like a prison. The complexity and opacity of supply chains in China will complicate the due diligence process, as some products and materials made with forced labor in Xinjiang are repurposed in intermediary factories elsewhere in China, obscuring their origin. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact, Immigration Expert Says Bidens Immigration Plans Could Provide Amnesty for Millions of People, At Princeton, a Racial Reckoning and a Free Speech Battle. As we made clear during this months G7 summit, the United States is committed to employing all of its tools, including export controls, to ensure that global supply chains are free from the use of forced labor and technology is not misused to abuse human rights, said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. In March 2020, a damning report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute revealed that the Chinese government was forcing hundreds of young Uyghur women to. These workers were transferred from labor camps in the Xinjiang region of western China, WaPo reported. The report did not document factories using Uyghur labor. Some brands including Adidas, Bosch and Panasonic told ASPI they had no direct contractual relationships with the suppliers indicated in the report, but no one could rule out a link further down their supply chain. Save Uyghur Statement on the Xinjiang Police Files and The Faces from Chinas Uyghur Detention Camp, HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP DISMAYED AT IMAMS VISIT TO CHINA, FEARING IT IS BEING USED TO FURTHER PROPAGANDA ABOUT STATE OF UYGHURS, Justice For Alls Save Uyghur Campaign Calls on Assistant Secretary Noyes to Get Uyghurs Released from Thailand, Community Alert For Uyghurs: China Relentlessly Targeting You for its Surveillance Campaign. Six of the seven suppliers were said to participate in work programs operated by the Chinese government, The Information reports, which human rights groups describe as frequently offering cover for forced labor. Two top congressional Democrats, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., urged players to drop endorsement deals with Chinese sportswear companies that use cotton from Xinjiang . These parties can include companies outside of the XUAR. 83 global companies and brands are directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur forced laborers in these factories. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. Task Force Strategy Report and Potential for Additional Parties Subject to Prohibitions CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against cotton products and tomato products produced in Xinjiang based on information that reasonably indicates the use of detainee or prison . It is a deep concern that I have learned Nike is a recipient of Chinese products manufactured using enslaved labor by forced transfer of Uyghur workers from East Turkestan (Xinjiang) to labor camps in different parts of the country. Dont accept innocent lives being taken from us., Nike has a long history of standing against bigotry, hatred and inequality in all forms, a Nike spokeswoman said in a May statement. A number of companies and brands have been linked to labor forced on Uighur Muslims by the Chinese government, according to multiple reports.