Experts, including a top researcher on the Uyghur genocide and a senior official in the Department of Labor, addressed Congress this week, stating that conducting audits to inspect for slave conditions and forced labor in China, particularly in the Uyghur region, is nearly impossible. The experts spoke before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China during a hearing titled “Factories and Fraud in the PRC,” focusing on human rights abuses and supply chain issues in China.
The panelists emphasized that social audits by third parties are unreliable due to the Communist Party’s control over society, making it difficult for workers to speak freely about their working conditions. They also highlighted evidence suggesting that China is redirecting products made with forced labor to other countries, such as India and Vietnam, to evade supply chain tracking and sell these products in American and European markets.
The hearing primarily discussed forced labor and the lack of freedom for individuals to escape exploitative work environments, with Chinese companies offering low wages and restricting workers from leaving their jobs. The experts pointed out that China operates the world’s largest system of state-imposed forced labor, affecting millions of Uyghurs and other ethnic groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
Adrian Zenz, a renowned researcher on the Uyghur genocide, highlighted China’s “Poverty Alleviation Through Labor Transfer” policy, which coerces rural laborers into secondary or tertiary sector work. He emphasized that conducting audits in Xinjiang is challenging, and the only ethical response is divestment from companies involved in forced labor practices. Zenz also discussed how the program extends beyond Xinjiang, making it difficult to track Uyghur slaves in other regions.
In conclusion, the experts and officials emphasized that reliable audits in China are unfeasible, and companies operating in China face heightened human rights risks. They urged companies to be cautious and consider the labor and human rights implications of their operations in China.
