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General Motors Accused Of Forced Labor In Chinese Factories

A recent report accuses General Motors and GM’s Chinese automotive partner, SAIC, of benefitting from forced labor at various factories located in China.

According to The Detroit Bureau, which cites Australian think tank Australian Strategic Policy Institute as issuing the report dated March 1st, the Chinese government is forcing members of the Muslim minority Uyghur ethnic group to work in factories producing goods for various companies.

In addition to General Motors, several other companies are also accused of benefitting from forced labor, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, as well as several major technology and clothing companies.

The accusations directly contradict General Motors’ previous statements on human rights. For example, in the company’s recent Sustainability report, GM stated it is “committed to sustainable and responsible sourcing of goods and services throughout [its] supply chain.”

“GM has a zero-tolerance policy against the use of child labor and prohibits abusive treatment to employees and corrupt business practices in our supply base,” the Sustainability report states.

Meanwhile, the recent Australian Strategic Policy Institute report indicates that the Chinese government “has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west of Xinjiang,” to work in factories across the country.

“Under conditions that strongly suggest forced labor, Uyghurs are working in factories that are in the supply chains of at least 83 well-known global brands in the technology, clothing and automotive sectors, including Apple, BMW, Gap, Huawei, Nike, Samsung, Sony and Volkswagen,” the report states.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute report states that between 2017 and 2019, more than 80,000 Uyghurs were moved out of the region of Xinjiang to work at these factories. However, the report notes that the estimate of 80,000 is conservative, and that the actual figure is likely much higher.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says that the displaced Uyghurs are forced to live in segregated dormitories, participate in Mandarin and ideological training, undergo constant surveillance, and are forbidden to take part in religious observances.

China has drawn international criticism for its extrajudicial re-education camps in the Xinjiang region, with this Australian recent report uncovering a new phase in the nation’s social re-engineering efforts for minority citizens. The Muslim minority Uyghur have previously pushed for autonomy, with the Chinese government responding by labeling the Uyghurs as potential terrorists.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Yeah, let GM sell all its assets in China to SAIC and (possibly) other joint-venture partners and shrink to a small America (north and south) only company.

    Reply
    1. There’ll be no sale China will just nationalize them.

      Reply
  2. Chinese government “has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west of Xinjiang,” to work in factories across the country.
    Glad they pointed that out too. We need to pull all our manufacturing out of China-they are not our friends.

    Reply
  3. Legacy destroying middle-east politics, with a same name captive religion, versus a giant forced melting pot, that swallowed up the little stars. We’re supposed to pick sides?
    Awesome.

    Reply
  4. Can we really be surprised at any of this? From Roger Smith and dark factories with robots doing all the work, how’d that work for you GM? To Mary Smith and moving as much production she can get away with to China. That woman has really lost touch with how she was raised.

    What is so hard about treating people with the same respect and integrity that you would expect to be treated.

    Reply
  5. I’m sick and tired of the automotive media’s fawning over the Chinese Communist automobile industry.
    Hyping all these new entries into the market and their intent to enter the USA market is revolting.
    Until the Chinese Communist Government decides to help us and the rest of the world to defeat the Chinese Virus they should be shunned, not promoted.
    The Chinese Communist Government is NOT our friend and shouldn’t be a business partner.

    Reply
  6. BMW , VW, and Mercedes had a past history of it as well, for about 10 to 12 years in the early mid 20th century.

    As for forced labor in general, it’s China. The two go together like 2 + 2.

    Reply

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