Uyghurs for Sale: ‘Re-education’, forced labour and surveillance beyond Xinjiang
(First published 1 March 2020) The Chinese government has facilitated the mass transfer of Uyghur and other ethnic minority citizens from the far west region of Xinjiang to factories across the country. 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.
The founder of Charles Tyrwhitt explains why his company doesn’t make shirts in China
Charles Tyrwhitt is curtailing production in China after receiving customer pressure. The contract with a cotton supplier in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region ended in July, reducing the number of shirts manufactured in China. “We are responding to customer demands,” Wheeler said. “Many customers say they don’t want to make shirts in China.”