NEWS
Volkswagen’s Audit Fails to Clear It of Complicity in Uyghur Forced Labor
On September 19, the Financial Times reported on a leaked version of Volkswagen’s controversial audit of its joint venture in Urumchi, which was published in December 2023. Experts reviewing the leaked report assert that the audit fails to meet international standards. While VW claims that the audit found “no indications of any use of forced labour” at its plant in East Turkistan, SA8000 auditing principles were not applied, and the repressive political context of the region was ignored. Furthermore, the Chinese law firm hired to conduct the audit lacks experience in social audits and is not accredited for SA8000 audits. A major violation identified was that interviews with workers at the Urumchi plant were live-streamed to the law firm’s headquarters in Shenzhen, compromising anonymity and failing to protect Uyghur staff from surveillance, intimidation, and detention by the Chinese government.

The World Uyghur Congress published a press release criticising Volkswagen’s actions, raising concerns about the use of audits in East Turkistan. “Credible and independent audits are not possible in a repressive environment, where millions of Uyghurs are under extensive surveillance, arbitrarily detained, and tortured for words or appearances that do not conform to Communist Party ideals. It is high time for VW to leave,” said Gheyyur Kurban, Director of German Advocacy at the WUC. The WUC also called on Volkswagen to completely withdraw its presence and supply chains from East Turkistan and to close its joint venture in Ürümchi. In light of recent legislation introduced at the national and regional level, including the German Supply Chain Directive and the EU’s Forced Labour regulation, Volkswagen and its investors, particularly the German state of Lower Saxony, cannot continue to prioritise business revenues over the lives of millions of Uyghurs.

Japanese Member of Parliament Urges Stronger Action Against China’s Human Rights Abuses in East Turkistan
On September 18, Nikkei Asia  reported on Arfiya Eri, Japan’s first lawmaker of Uyghur heritage, who is urging her country to take a stronger stance against China’s human rights abuses and adopt a more robust defence posture in response to Beijing’s growing military assertiveness. Arfiya Eri, elected in 2023 to the lower house of the Japanese diet, criticized Japan’s lack of recognition of the Uyghur genocide and emphasized the need for Japan, as Asia’s leading democracy, to hold China accountable for the persecution of Uyghurs. Although Japan passed a non-binding resolution condemning China’s actions, Eri criticised the lack of concrete measures, calling for stronger diplomatic efforts to address the crisis. 

In her interview she said “The international community, including Japan, must do its part to ensure that we do not set a precedent where such violations go unaccounted for under our watch.” 

China Is Increasing Its Propaganda Narrative Through Influencer Engagement
On September 12,  Voice of America reported that China is intensifying its propaganda efforts to reshape global perceptions of East Turkistan and Tibet by inviting foreign vloggers to promote positive narratives. Taiwan reported on September 5 that it had noticed a surge of East Turkistan-related content produced by Taiwanese influencers allegedly recruited and paid by China. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council warned influencers to avoid violating anti-infiltration laws by accepting payments from Beijing for such activities, amidst rising concerns over China’s media influence. In June, Taiwanese YouTuber Potter Wang claimed the Chinese government had invited Taiwanese influencers on paid trips to create content. This led several influencers, who had recently posted about East Turkestan, to deny receiving any payment. According to experts , by flooding social media with Uyghurs related content from foreign influencers, China aims to influence casual viewers, particularly younger audiences, who lack deep knowledge of the region or its politics.

China Continues Efforts of Transnational Repression of Uyghurs in Exile
On September 11, a VOA News report highlighted the intensified transnational repression efforts by the Chinese government against Uyghur exiles in the United States. This repression manifests through various means, including online attacks on activists and intimidation tactics that deter Uyghurs from participating in advocacy efforts. Many face pressure through threats directed at relatives still in East Turkistan, creating a pervasive atmosphere of fear.

Elfidar Iltebir, president of the Uyghur American Association, described being targeted by online harassment and fake emails, leading her to enhance her security, and emphasised the climate of intimidation, noting that nearly every Uyghur community member has at least one relative detained in East Turkistan. In response to these tactics, the FBI acknowledged its awareness of the situation and has made efforts to educate state, local, and university law enforcement about the issue. The agency has conducted training sessions aimed at helping vulnerable communities identify repressive actions and instances of transnational harassment. However, the FBI faces limitations, as the harassers operate outside U.S. jurisdiction, making it challenging to provide direct protection against such threats.

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