Summary
Jinjiang Group, a BYD contractor, denied Brazilian authorities’ claims that 163 Chinese workers were in “slavery-like conditions” at a Brazilian factory.
Jinjiang claimed translation misunderstandings and cultural differences, stating workers voluntarily handed over passports.
BYD, distancing itself from the issue, cut ties with the contractor and is cooperating with authorities. China’s foreign ministry is also investigating.
The factory is central to BYD’s expansion in Brazil, its largest overseas market, with production set to begin in 2024 or 2025.
The letter said, for instance, that 107 workers had handed their passports to the company for help with applying for a temporary ID certificate in Brazil. The Brazilian labor inspectors had said that the workers had had their passports withheld by the company.
As someone who works in different countries, I sometimes have to send in my passport for stamps, verification, visa applications etc. What i always have on me is my secondary passport, for obvious reasons. I don’t buy for a second that a company this size wouldn’t make sure that their workers had a secondary passport, unless they had ulterior motives. It also makes everything else they say suspect.
Making the oppressed say they aren’t is unfortunately standard practice for China, so I agree, take anything the workers say with a grain of salt.
I imagine you do that while you are on your home country.
Collecting passports from people away from their country is a huge “no, you don’t” thing. But from people in their own country is no big deal.
Not really, in many cases it’s a necessity.
That’s not to say that giving your passport to your employer for safe keeping is a good idea.
Not so. We have agencies who bring our passports to the offices that require them.