PEKING (dpa-AFX) - International car manufacturers are doing too little to combat forced labor in China's Xinjiang region, according to the human rights organization Human Rights Watch (HRW). "Auto companies simply don't know the extent of their links to forced labor in Xinjiang in their aluminum supply chains," HRW's Jim Wormington said in a report released Thursday by the organization that focuses on forced labor in China's aluminum industry.

According to Human Rights Watch, there is credible evidence that aluminum producers in Xinjiang are involved in Chinese government programs that force Uyghurs and members of other Muslim communities to take jobs in Xinjiang and other regions. State media in China as well as government and company reports were analyzed for the research.

"Some car manufacturers in China have bowed to government pressure and apply less stringent human rights and responsible sourcing standards in their Chinese joint ventures than in their global operations," the report states. Manufacturers such as General Motors, Tesla, BYD, Toyota and Volkswagen have failed to minimize the risk of Uyghur forced labor in their aluminum supply chains. More than 15 percent of the aluminum produced in China, or 9 percent of the global supply, comes from Xinjiang.

Volkswagen announced that it takes its responsibility as a company in the area of human rights very seriously worldwide - including in China. The company adheres closely to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. These are part of the company's Code of Conduct. "We not only set high standards within the Volkswagen Group, but also work to ensure compliance with these values along the supply chain," said a spokesperson.

VW itself operates a plant in Xinjiang in a joint venture with the Chinese manufacturer Saic. Uyghurs, members of other minorities and human rights organizations have been reporting for years that hundreds of thousands of people in Xinjiang have been sent to re-education camps against their will, in some cases tortured and forced to perform forced labor. The Chinese government denies these allegations./jpt/DP/zb