Car manufacturers likely using aluminum made by Uyghur forced labor, investigation reveals

Carmakers, such as General Motors, Tesla, BYD, Toyota, and Volkswagen, are risking using Uyghur forced labor in their aluminum supply chains, Human Rights Watch reports.

Almost 10% of the global aluminum, an essential material for car manufacturing, is produced in “Xinjiang”. Beijing has made the region a hub for various industries, including aluminum production, regardless of Beijing’s infamous human rights violations against Uyghurs. More than 15 percent of the aluminum produced in China, or 9 percent of global supply, now comes from “Xinjiang”. 

Car companies could source their aluminum from providers outside Xinjiang, HRW said, and also demand better source information from their aluminum suppliers, Human Rights Watch suggests. 

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