US senator questions major automakers about forced labor in China

By Ovunc Kutlu

ISTANBUL (AA) - US Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden questioned eight major automakers Thursday about supply chain links to forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region.

Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, said in a letter that he recognizes automobiles contain numerous parts sourced from across the world and are subject to complex supply chains but stressed that this cannot cause the US to compromise its commitment to upholding human rights.

"Unless due diligence confirms that components are not linked to forced labor, automakers cannot and should not sell cars in the United States that include components mined or produced in Xinjiang," he wrote.

"The United States considers the Chinese government’s brutal oppression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang an ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity," he added.

Wyden's letter comes at a time when a university report has found links between Chinese companies operating in Xinjiang and automakers that import parts from them.

The senator sent the letter to Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, Tesla, Toyota and Volkswagen.

He asked the auto companies to provide details about their supply chains and analysis of raw materials, mining and processing that could be linked to the Xinjiang region.