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Beijing blames `foreigners' for alleged labor abuses

A top Chinese union official is blaming foreign businesses for alleged labor abuse -- including child labor -- in the production of official Olympic-licensed products in southern China.

"We welcome foreign companies that respect Chinese laws and look after their workers," Xie Liangmin, a senior official with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), said yesterday in the state-run China Daily.

"Those relying on cheap labor and making profits by violating workers' rights will finally be ousted," he said.

The ACFTU is the Chinese Communist Party-controlled umbrella group for government approved unions.

Xie's threat is the latest fallout from a report released by PlayFair 2008, which alleges children as young as 12 work at China-based factories producing Olympic licensed products like bags, caps and stationery products. The report also alleges forced overtime and the violation of minimum-wage rules.

The PlayFair report said three of the companies were set up with capital from Hong Kong, and the other was Taiwanese-invested. One of the companies -- Yue Wing Cheong Light Products (Shenzhen) Co -- was listed with its headquarters in the US.

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games acknowledged the four companies had Olympic contracts, which it said would be canceled if the companies violated national labor laws.

"BOCOG will deal with the issue seriously so as to maintain the image and reputation of the Beijing Olympic Games," the statement said.

The threat to cancel the contracts was criticized by PlayFair, which said workers would be further harmed.
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