VW Says Audit of Xinjiang Site Found No Sign of Forced Labor
- Berlin consultancy Löning visited site, interviewed staff
- German carmaker is under pressure to defend sales in China
Volkswagen automobiles on the production line.
Photographer: Michaela Nagyidaiova/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Volkswagen AG said independent auditors found no signs of forced labor at its joint-venture plant in Xinjiang as the German automaker responds to concerns of human rights abuses in China’s far western region.
Berlin-based consultancy Löning audited the Urumqi facility, which is operated by a subsidiary of VW’s joint venture with state-backed SAIC Motor Corp., last month, the carmaker said late Tuesday. Shares rose as much as 3.1% early Wednesday, the biggest gain in more than a month.