The Society for Threatened Peoples and the World Uyghur Congress criticised BASF, a German multinational company, for showing enthusiasm towards China rather than addressing human rights violations.

In a joint press statement, they criticised the speech delivered by outgoing BASF CEO, Martin Brudermuller, at the company’s annual general meeting.

BASF, short for Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik, which translates to Baden Aniline and Soda Factory in German, manufactures dyes and inorganic chemicals. Despite concerns over the transfer of Uyghur forced labourers to various Chinese provinces and the potential rise in Uyghur forced labour, the company inaugurated a new production facility in Zhanjiang.

They criticised it as an expression of admiration for China rather than a confrontation of human rights violations. Civil society organisations also staged protests outside the Congress Center Rosengarten in Mannheim, where the BASF general meeting occurred. They are urging the company to publicly clarify how it intends to ensure that its business dealings in China do not contribute to Uyghur forced labour.

The statement criticised the speech as an expression of admiration for China rather than a confrontation of human rights violations.

Outside the Congress Center Rosengarten in Mannheim, civil society organisations staged protests during the BASF general meeting. They are urging the company to publicly clarify how it intends to ensure that its business dealings in China do not support Uyghur forced labour.

The speech was criticised for expressing admiration for China rather than addressing human rights violations.

During the BASF general meeting at the Congress Center Rosengarten in Mannheim, civil society organisations staged protests. They are urging the company to publicly clarify how it plans to ensure that its business dealings in China do not contribute to Uyghur forced labour.

Gheyyur Kuerban, WUC Berlin Director, stated, that the company's audits have failed to uncover the human rights violations committed by its joint venture partner in the Uyghur region. By relocating Uyghur forced labourers to various Chinese provinces, the risk of Uyghur forced labour increases.

Meanwhile, Brudermuller celebrates the 'dynamic' Chinese market and the new production site in Zhanjiang. The company must clarify how it intends to ensure that its supply chains are free from forced labour and other human rights violations in the future.

According to the joint press statement, Gheyyur Kuerban, representing the Association of Critical Shareholders, will raise several inquiries during the BASF annual general meeting regarding the company’s business activities in China, the progress of its withdrawal from Xinjiang/East Turkestan, and the lessons learned from past insufficient audits that failed to identify human rights violations by the joint venture partner Markor.

Image source: ANI