International Lawmakers Urge Volkswagen to Leave Xinjiang Plant Following Audit Leak

International lawmakers have urged Volkswagen to withdraw from its joint-venture factory in Xinjiang, China, following a discredited social audit. The audit, commissioned by Volkswagen, claimed no evidence of forced labor at the plant, but a report by the Jamestown Foundation criticized the audit s methodology and implementation, stating it failed to adequately assess forced labor risks. The report highlighted that the audit was conducted by Chinese individuals with no demonstrable experience in the area and did not meet international standards. It also pointed out that the auditors only asked closed-ended questions in a setting where anonymity could not be guaranteed. The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) and the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China echoed these concerns, calling for Volkswagen to reimpose a red-flag notice until allegations surrounding the audit s integrity are comprehensively investigated. Volkswagen s statement defended the audit, claiming it was conducted by an experienced Chinese law firm and a German due diligence firm. However, the report by Adrian Zenz, a senior fellow and director in China Studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, found that neither firm had verifiable experience in conducting SA8000 audits, and the standard itself was not designed to assess state-imposed forced labor. The report also raised concerns about forced assimilation, as the factory promoted activities among ethnic groups to ensure harmony. It also noted that only managers were asked about forced labor, and the auditors did not question how employees ended up working at the factory. Adrian Zenz called for Volkswagen to withdraw from Xinjiang, close its factory, and apologize for misleading investors about the audit. He also highlighted a concerning pattern of corporate complicity in Uyghur forced labor. Sabrina Sohail of Campaign for Uyghurs, who first obtained the leaked audit, criticized Volkswagen for being directly complicit in Uyghur forced labor by maintaining its presence in the region. She warned that allowing the audit to pass without scrutiny would undermine the International Labor Organization s accountability system.

Source: theepochtimes.com
Published on 2024-09-28