Universal Electronics strikes deal on Uyghur workers

U.S. remote-control maker Universal Electronics Inc struck a deal with officials in Xinjiang to transport hundreds of Uyghur workers to its plant in the southern Chinese city of Qinzhou, the first confirmed instance of an American company participating in a transfer program which is referred to as some rights groups as forced labor.

The company has sold its equipment and software to Sony, Samsung, LG, Microsoft, and other tech and broadcast companies.

It has hired about 400 Uyghur workers from the far-western region of Xinjiang as part of the existing worker-transfer agreement, according to the company and regional officials in Qinzhou and Xinjiang, government notices, and local state media.