For “full transparency” – VW boss wants controversial factory in Uyghur region checked. Federal prosecutors are seeking 21 months in the Falcon case

Volkswagen wants its controversial factory in China’s Xinjiang province to be examined by independent auditors. “We are planning a transparent, independent third-party audit to provide full transparency to the public,” CEO Oliver Blume said on a conference call at an investor event in Hockenheim on Wednesday.

There are complaints about the human rights situation there and it is Volkswagen’s job to address these concerns. There are currently good discussions with partners in China about such a study, Blume said.

The plant in the city of Urumchi is operated by Chinese joint venture partner SAIC. According to human rights groups, the Uyghur Muslim minority living in Xinjiang province is specifically repressed by the central government in Beijing. Human rights activists criticize VW for sticking to the supplier in the region. VW should do too little against forced labor in the supply chain, among other things.

VW, on the other hand, argues that it has little influence over the affairs of the factory with about 240 employees and that there are no signs of human rights violations. The group is standing up against forced labor worldwide, said legal director Manfred Döss at the annual general meeting in May. (lst/sda/awp/dpa)