One of the companies denounced by PlayFair admits that a subcontractor uses children to produce products with the Olympic logo. But the organising committee maintains that there is no proof. Meanwhile Taiwan wants to “negotiate” the passage of the Olympic flame.

Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games says it has not found evidence that four companies are using child labour or exploitation in the production of objects carrying the Olympic logo, promising that it will carry out strict investigations of the allegations.  But the manager of one of the companies has admitted to the BBC that child labour is being used.  Taiwan has asked Beijing, meanwhile, to return to negotiations on the passage of the Olympic flame through the island.

PlayFair, an organisation of trade unions, denounce June 10th that four companies in Guangdong and Shenzhen, produce products carrying the Olympic logo by using children as young as 12 and forcing employees to work for 15 hours a day for the sum of 2 Yuan (20 cents Euro) an hour – less than half of the legal minimum wage – in unhealthy working conditions.  Yesterday, Chen Feng, deputy director of Bocog's marketing department, said, “all four companies denied that they used child labour” and that there is no proof to the contrary.  But Chen assured “we will definitely continue with the investigation. If we find any problems, we will severely punish violators”, so that those who work for the Olympics “realise that their performance, in terms of corporate responsibility, environmental protection and quality control, has a lot to do with the image and reputation of the Olympics”.

However that very same day Michael Lee, manager at Lekit –one of the four companies – admitted to the Bbc that one of their subcontractors, Leter Stationery, employed children as young as 12 and 13 during their school holidays, paying them 20 Yuan (2 euros) a day. Lekit – explained Lee – commissioned Leter Stationery to package products completely ignoring the fact they were children.  “We won’t give them any more work – he adds – and in future we will ascertain that subcontractors are fully qualified”.

A Dongguan official said the children had gone to work at Leter Stationery because their parents had “no time to look after them” during the holidays and that they were only involved in "light work" such as wrapping up products. Analysts observe that the speed with which Dongguan officials published the results of the initial investigation suggests China is keen to avoid bad publicity in the run up to next year's Olympic Games.

Negative publicity could also come from the controversy with Taiwan over the route of the Olympic flame.  Beijing proposed that it pass through the island on its way to Hong Kong.  Taipei requested that its entry and exit from the Island pass through a third country, thus defining its independence from Beijing.  Yesterday the Taiwan Mainland Affairs Council expressed its willingness to proceed with negotiations with Beijing in order to reach agreement, in the spirit of “"the peace and freedom of the Olympic Games” and on the condition that this does not denigrate the Island’s independence.  “Although China has said openly that it is willing to negotiate, - said the Council - it has yet to put it into practice”.

 

• CHINA
• TAIWAN
• OLYMPIC
• GAMES
• CHILD
• LABOUR
• PLAYFAIR
• EXPLOITATION