After the chemical company’s announcement BASFGerman politicians from the SPD, Greens and FDP have announced plans to withdraw from the Chinese region of Xinjiang Volkswagen appeals to do the same. “Xinjiang must become a “no-go” as a location for economic activities for Western companies, including VW,” said Renata Alt (38, FDP), chairwoman of the Bundestag’s human rights committee, to the “Tagesspiegel” (Monday).
The BASF’s withdrawal sends a clear message, Alt continued: “No lazy compromises should be made when it comes to human rights.” BASF’s decision to divest itself of its shares in joint ventures in Xinjiang is therefore very welcome.
The Green MEP Reinhard Bütikofer (71) told the “Tagesspiegel” that the pressure on VW would now increase again. “VW must leave Xinjiang,” he explained. There is an ethical red line for the business ability of companies; “Complicity with the forced labor regime in Xinjiang” lies behind it.
According to the Tagesspiegel, the Federal Government Commissioner for Freedom of Religion and Belief, Frank Schwabe (53), called on all German companies not to do any further business in Xinjiang. “Basically, the human rights situation in Xinjiang is so catastrophic and confusing that German companies should not operate there. This also applies to VW,” the SPD politician told the paper.
VW operates a plant in Xinjiang in a joint venture with the Chinese manufacturer Saic. In the summer, the car company commissioned a company to examine the working conditions at the controversial plant in Xinjiang for human rights violations. The auditors announced in December that they had found no evidence or evidence of forced labor among employees. Most recently, at the beginning of February, Volkswagen said that it was taking its responsibility as a company in the area of human rights very seriously around the world – including in… China. The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights are adhered to closely.
Uighurs, members of other minorities and human rights organizations have been reporting for years that hundreds of thousands of people in Xinjiang have been put into re-education camps against their will, in some cases tortured and forced into forced labor. The Chinese government denies these allegations.