The US Senate Finance Committee has released a report that highlights the need for tighter controls on car imports from China to prevent the use of banned parts. The committee found that BMW, Volkswagen, and Jaguar Land Rover failed to thoroughly check Chinese vehicles and parts for banned suppliers, including Sichuan Jingweida Technology, which is prohibited in the US due to forced Uyghur labor.
The report, titled “Flawed Checks: Automakers Complicit in CCP Forced Labor,” was the result of a two-year investigation led by Chairman Ron Wyden. The committee expressed concerns about automakers turning a blind eye and failing to detect forced labor in their supply chains.
In addition to BMW, Volkswagen, and Jaguar Land Rover, thousands of cars from Audi, Porsche, and Bentley were held up at US ports due to checks for Chinese-made parts earlier in the year. Volkswagen admitted that some of its vehicles contained components made in western China but claimed it was unaware of the origin due to the parts being supplied as part of a larger component.
The investigation revealed that BMW had delivered thousands of vehicles to the US with prohibited parts, violating laws against forced Uyghur labor. Initially, the car companies denied the use of banned parts but later admitted to using parts from disputed Chinese company Sichuan Jingweida Technology in their vehicles. BMW admitted to shipping at least 8,000 Mini Coopers with prohibited Chinese parts.
The committee is calling on US Customs and Border Protection to take concrete steps to strengthen enforcement and eliminate companies involved in forced labor practices in China.
