The Memoranda of Understanding Between the U.S. and China Regarding Prison Labor

Many human rights groups allege that the use of forced labor is a common and established practice in China. They assert that products of this forced labor are exported to other countries and that a substantial portion is sent to the United States. The Commission heard testimony that prisoners in China are incarcerated for their political views or because of their religious beliefs. Human rights groups have reported that conditions in the forced labor facilities are brutal, that medical care is poor and that workplace conditions are generally exhausting and dangerous. According to the Laogai Research Foundation, China's prison systems (Laogai) are an integral part of the national economy. That Foundation claims to have documented nearly 100-forced labor camps, producing $800 million in sales, and contends that the number of such camps probably numbers well over 1,000. It further contends that goods from Laogai are being imported into the U.S. The Chinese government maintains that products made by forced labor are not exported from China to the United States.