Scandal about foreign workers: Chinese company in human trafficking accusation!

Scandal about foreign workers: Chinese company in human trafficking accusation!

In Brazil, a serious accusation against the subsidiary of the Chinese electric car manufacturer BYD excited the public interest. Authorities in Bahia classified more than 150 Chinese workers on a company as a victim of human trafficking. The 163 workers concerned were discovered near a factory that is built as part of an enormous investment project.

allegations and reactions

Both BYD and the Jinjiang Group responsible for the construction contradict the severe allegations and emphasize that it is not human trafficking. However, both companies have agreed to accommodate the workers in hotels, while negotiating their employment contracts. The companies concerned urged that this situation did not justify the accusation of human trafficking. BYD, now one of the globally leading manufacturers of electric vehicles, also intensively worked on driving its expansion in Brazil, including the planned production in the new factory, which is due to go into operation in 2025.

The construction of the new work in Bahia, which is supposed to start with an annual capacity of 150,000 vehicles and was invested in which $ 620 million, is in the sign of China's increasing influence in Brazil. BYD already holds two other production facilities in the country, which makes the company a key player in Brazilian car market. According to industry analyzes, almost every fifth vehicle from BYD, which was sold outside China in the first eleven months of 2024, was manufactured in Brazil, such as krone.at and Manager Magazin This development not only shows the growth of the company, but also the potential challenges in dealing with working conditions and human rights in international production.