National Pulse reported on May 15 that nearly half of the polysilicon, a key component used in solar panels, comes from Uyghur forced labor operations under Communist Party control.
An investigation by Britain’s Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) found that about 45 percent of polysilicon is produced from Xinjiang, and that the world’s four largest manufacturers of solar panels are dependent on Uighurs for production.
The secrets were uncovered in the 69-page investigation report, based on numerous sources with more than 300 endnotes, including official figures from the Chinese government, which outlined the “placement” of 2.6 million “underage” citizens in farms and factories in Xinjiang. Companies identified as using forced labor include Dah Sing Energy, GCL-Poly, TBEA and JinkoSolar.
Laura T. Murphy, a professor of human rights and contemporary slavery and lead author of the study, concluded that “downstream companies potentially affected by forced labor are located around the globe. “
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