Volkswagen has closed its plant in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region

The German Volkswagen car manufacturer, which is accused of involving the Uyghur Muslim minority in forced labor, has completed the sale of its plant in Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region (East Turkestan). This is reported by Bild.

According to the UN and human rights defenders, Eastern Turkestan is a region where human rights are violated, including forced labor, which has been turned into "re-education camps".

In 2012, Volkswagen opened the first car factory in the region with its Chinese partner SAIC. The 170 million euro project has long been under the scrutiny of the international community.

Despite Volkswagen management's statements that there were no human rights violations at the plant, the pressure on the company increased. In September, more than 50 parliamentarians from different countries called on the concern to stop their activities in the region.

Sales of Volkswagen cars in China fell 12 percent in the first nine months of 2024, losing ground to local manufacturers. Criticism and declining profits forced the concern to sell the plant in East Turkestan.

However, Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schaefer said the company will continue to remain a player in the Chinese market.

Against the background of these events, the concern is also facing difficulties in Europe. Volkswagen has announced plans to close three plants in Germany, cut costs and outsource some functions abroad.