“Our research shows that Apple’s use of forced labor in its supply chain goes far beyond what the company has acknowledged,” said Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project. He said Apple earlier this year ensured that none of its other suppliers are using Uighur labor transferred from Xinjiang. “Looking for the presence of forced labor is part of every supplier assessment we conduct, including surprise audits. In response to faxed questions from The Post, the Foreign Ministry in Beijing called forced labor in China “nonexistent” and accused people with “ulterior motives“ of fabricating it. It said a number of companies had hired auditors to conduct investigations, which “confirmed the nonexistence of ‘forced labor.’“ It did not name the companies.

Source: Washington Post December 29, 2020 12:00 UTC