Amazon Suppliers Linked To Forced Labor In China, Watchdog Group Says

Amazon has continued to work with companies in China accused of using forced labor despite public warnings about their work practices, according to a report published Monday by a nonprofit watchdog group. NBC News reports: The report from the Tech Transparency Project, a research group that is run by the nonprofit Campaign for Accountability and is often critical of large tech companies, found that Amazon's public list of suppliers includes five companies previously linked by journalists and think tank researchers to "labor transfer" programs in China. The suppliers help produce Amazon-branded devices and products sold under house labels like Amazon Basics. The report also warned that some of Amazon's third-party sellers may be offering products made using labor from the western Chinese region of Xinjiang, such as cotton imports that are already the subject of U.S. sanctions.

The Tech Transparency Project identified three Amazon suppliers that have been linked to forced labor in China directly: Luxshare Precision Industry, AcBel Polytech and Lens Technology. It's not clear what specific Amazon items they may be responsible for producing. According to its public supplier list, Amazon works with two subsidiaries of Luxshare: Dongguan Luxshare Precision Industry and Shenzhen Luxshare Electro Acoustic Technology. Chinese government documents reported by The Information in May showed Luxshare Precision Industry, an electronics manufacturer, had allegedly accepted "as many as hundreds of Xinjiang laborers" between 2017 and 2020. Lens Technology, a company known for producing glass screens for laptops and smartphones, has accepted thousands of Uyghur workers in recent years, according to Chinese government documents first reported by The Washington Post. After receiving negative attention about its labor practices, the company reportedly began phasing out Uyghur workers from its factories. [...] The Tech Transparency Project identified two additional Amazon suppliers -- GoerTek and Hefei BOE Optoelectronics -- that were themselves accused of working with companies that have allegedly used forced labor. Neither supplier responded to requests for comment.

The Tech Transparency Project researchers also found that Amazon continued listing two subsidiaries of the textiles manufacturer Esquel on its supplier list over a year after another subsidiary was sanctioned by the Department of Commerce for allegedly using forced labor. The U.S. government placed sanctions on Changji Esquel Textile in July 2020. But the other subsidiaries remained on Amazon's website until as recently as December 2021, according to the Tech Transparency Project. [...] The Tech Transparency Project also found evidence of Xinjiang labor on Amazon's third-party marketplace. The Tech Transparency Project said the findings raise "questions about Amazon's monitoring of such sellers."

Re:

[Tablizer]

There was not sufficient political support for it before, as inflation pain was THE big story, but that may be changing, as more politicians from both sides are hopping on board...

Re:

[FuegoFuerte]

I wouldn't say Europe is getting what they deserve; no one deserves what Ukraine is getting right now.

At the same time, it's a valid point that Europe has been told not to depend on Russia before, and political opinions about the person telling Europe not to depend on Russian energy may well have kept them from acting (along with profit and convenience motives).

Russian oil/LNG are close by, which makes them cheaper. If Russia wasn't being run by the insecure power-hungry twit that it is, buying some Russia

That is NOT news

[Tablizer]

the opposite would be news, unless this is from Captain Obvious News. Those with established profit motives usually do token monitoring and hope nobody notices. When caught, they say, "Oh, gee, we didn't spot that one, we'll monitor better, so sorry", then turn up their monitoring say 10%, rinse, repeat...

Re:

[Tablizer]

Unions are not any more corrupt than corporations. Human nature is human nature, and if not kept in check by external forces, spirals into evil. Same forces at play. There is no perfect organization, but that doesn't mean we should burn down all of society.

Re:

[Krishnoid]

Then get the customers to respond directly. "Hey, this AmazonBasics USB cable has a short. Wait, this is used -- there's Chinese handwriting on it! Hold on, translating ... "Please help -- my family is being held in a forced-labor camp. And sorry about the product defect."

Outrage.

[jellomizer]

I am outraged. Oh wait I will need to pay more of stuff... Well I am still outraged but I will do nothing about it.

Amazon announced immediate action.

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

They have issued an emergency order, effective immediately, to all their vendors to hide their tracks better.

Which One(s)

[BrendaEM]

Kind of like shooting fish in a bucket, isn't it?

Amazon monitoring sellers...

[suss]

Do you really think Amazon monitors sellers, unless they're forced to by law, or it hurts their bottom line?

Re:

[kellin]

As someone who's business is hurt by Amazon's "practices", they definitely do not monitor their sellers.

Hard to avoid slave labour in China

[shm]

The myths around China included one where the increase in prosperity would see a corresponding rise in democracy.

The CCP was having none of it. While they are around, China will have slave labour.

Amazon Slave Labor

[TheBlindLife]

Say it isn’t so Amazon who is morally bankrupt, socially irresponsible, and ethically deficient. Not surprising at all. You’re placing life at risk by purchasing Amazon Basics electronics anyways multiple fire reports on microwaves and chargers.

So what's the alternative?

[RitchCraft]

Amazon has completely fucked small business around the country. I try my hardest to purchase locally when ever I can. But what's the alternative? Walmart? Another Chinese outlet in disguise? These articles come out expecting the average Joe to be outraged and boycott Amazon. The average Joe is upset about this but what needs to be done is the OUTRIGHT BANNING of commerce with communist regimes by governments. Yeah, yeah, prices will go up and things will be crazy for a while. But, it's the only way to deal

Re:

[classiclantern]

History is interesting. Nixon opened trade with China so US business could sell products there. Unintended consequences are interesting. It's not like we could ignore China forever.

Re:

[RitchCraft]

We saw this coming in the 90's and could have stopped it there. Greed prevailed.

Questionable source

[CreepyPotato]

There's one specific report by an Australian think tank (ASPI) with a rather hawkish reputation and funding that keeps getting used by this article and many others. The report describes Uyghurs getting shuttled around China for forced labor at different factories subcontracting for western companies.

An independent researcher has put out a lengthy report [cowestpro.co] that examines many problematic details in the ASPI's report. It's worth a browse if you want to see this issue with a critical eye.

"Where ASPI made s

Property

[thunderclees]

Since the CPC considers all Chinese people to be the property of the party to be disposed of as the party sees fit that makes all labor in mainland China forced labor.
“You can't be a revolutionary if you don't eat chilies.” - Mao Tse-tung

So, like Walmart

[whitroth]

who an old friend use to refer to as "Chinamart".