The Select House Committee on the Chinese Communist Party has urged Volkswagen to halt its operations in Xinjiang, China, in compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). This call follows the United States government's determination that the Chinese Communist Party is perpetrating genocide against the Uyghur population in Xinjiang.
A report by the House Select Committee indicates that Congress passed the UFLPA in 2021. The legislation prohibits all imports from Xinjiang unless importers can confirm that their products were not manufactured through forced labor. Consequently, U.S. customs have intercepted thousands of vehicles produced by Volkswagen Group due to some parts being made in Xinjiang. In light of this, Committee Chairman Mike Gallagher and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi have asked Volkswagen to adhere to the UFLPA and cease part of its supply chain production in Xinjiang. Despite these requests, Volkswagen continues to operate a factory in the region, backed by the Chinese government.
Chairman Gallagher and Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi expressed their concerns in a letter stating: "We request that Volkswagen fully comply with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) by removing all products from its global supply chain that contain inputs made in-whole or-in part with forced labor in the PRC. We also urge Volkswagen to cease its operations in Xinjiang, where the U.S. government has determined that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is conducting an ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities." Since 2013, Volkswagen has been partnered with SAIC Motor Corp., a state-owned entity of People's Republic of China. Together they constructed and operated a factory within this contentious region.
China stands accused of committing genocide against its Uyghur population through sterilization practices targeting women, detaining millions of citizens in concentration camps, and forcibly relocating thousands to labor camps across the country. The House Committee has given Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume until March 5 to respond to their letter.
