Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood, a member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, has uncovered damning evidence implicating the Chinese battery manufacturer Gotion in the ongoing Uyghur genocide.
The investigation by the Select Committee has exposed Gotion's deep entanglement with entities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) that are directly linked to forced labor and human rights abuses.
In a letter addressed to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Congressman LaHood and his fellow committee members have laid bare the disturbing findings of their investigation.
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The letter states that "newly discovered information indicates that Gotion maintains extensive business relationships in the XUAR and in other provinces or regions in the People's Republic of China (PRC) with companies directly linked to forced labor and involved in the ongoing genocide of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups."
Gotion's Tainted Supply Chains
The investigation has revealed that Gotion's supply chains are deeply compromised by links to entities in the XUAR, where the CCP's repressive policies have led to the widespread use of forced labor and the systematic persecution of Uyghurs and other minority groups.
Sourcing from Xinjiang Nonferrous
Gotion sources aluminum foil from a subsidiary of Xinjiang Nonferrous, a CCP state-owned enterprise known for its prolific use of forced labor, including the forced housing of Han men with Uyghur women and families.
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Connections to Xinjiang Joinworld
Gotion also sources materials from Xinjiang Joinworld, a company that has participated in "poverty alleviation through labor transfer" programs, which are often a disguise for forced labor. A local CCP chapter even awarded a Xinjiang Joinworld employee an award for implementing the CCP's ethnic policies.
Ties to the Sanctioned XPCC
Furthermore, Gotion sources lithium-ion and other materials from companies with deep connections to the XPCC, the sanctioned Chinese paramilitary organization that has been heavily involved in the Uyghur genocide.
The Department of Homeland Security maintains a Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List, which identifies companies in Xinjiang that have engaged in forced labor. These companies and their products are strictly prohibited from entering the United States.
In their letter, LaHood and the committee members have requested that Gotion be added to the UFLPA Entity List, stating that "Gotion's supply chains are deeply compromised by links to entities whose goods, wares, articles, or merchandise are mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in XUAR. As a result, we request it be added to the UFLPA Entity List and its shipments prohibited from entry to the United States."
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As companies linked to the CCP continue to receive billions of taxpayer dollars in federal and state subsidies, Congressman LaHood emphasizes the urgent need to ensure that they abide by federal law and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
"The Select Committee's investigation reveals damning information about the entanglement of Gotion's supply chains in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The Select Committee and my office will continue to conduct necessary oversight to protect Illinois taxpayers from the influence of these malign activities and human rights violations," LaHood stated.
The revelations about Gotion's involvement in the Uyghur genocide have far-reaching implications. As the world grapples with the ongoing human rights crisis in Xinjiang, the exposure of Gotion's tainted supply chains highlights the urgent need for greater scrutiny and accountability in global supply chains.
Congressman LaHood's stance underscores the responsibility of lawmakers to ensure that taxpayer money is not inadvertently supporting companies complicit in human rights abuses. The call to add Gotion to the UFLPA Entity List is a crucial step in safeguarding public funds and upholding ethical standards.
The investigation into Gotion also sheds light on the broader issue of the Chinese Communist Party's malign influence and its efforts to exploit global economic systems for its own nefarious purposes. By uncovering these connections, the Select Committee is playing a vital role in countering the CCP's authoritarian agenda.
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