"Major NBA brands linked to forced labour in China" The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, 30 August 2025

[...] a major investigation by TBIJ, the New York Times and Der Spiegel connected more than 100 global brands to the Xinjiang labour transfer scheme [...].

Anta, Li-Ning and 361 Degrees are among the brands that directly own production sites linked to these human rights abuses [...] also supplied by other companies participating in the labour transfer program.

A 361 Degrees factory in Fujian has taken Xinjiang workers for at least a decade [...].

At least three factories supplying Li-Ning have used workers from the labour transfer scheme. [...].

[...] Home appliance labels Haier, Midea, TCL and Hisense all own factories that are linked to these human rights violations.

Earlier this year, Haier promoted its TVs through a sponsorship deal with the Australian Open. TCL partners with Arsenal, while Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is the official face of Midea, [...].

Hisense has partnerships with the Fifa men’s World Cup and a range of Uefa tournaments. At Euro 2024, its branding ran alongside that of the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD, which is linked to scores of companies participating in the Xinjiang transfer program.

Hisense said that the company has not participated in “any forced labour transfer or abuse activities”. Haier said its policies prohibited forced labour and that it conducted regular audits. However, it said it would investigate TBIJ’s allegations about specific factories in its supply chains.

Midea, TCL, Fifa, the Australian Open and Haaland did not respond to requests for comment. Uefa and Manchester City declined to comment.

Li-Ning told us it "strictly opposes and prohibits any form of forced labour" in its supply chain and regularly audits its suppliers, with a "zero-tolerance" policy enforced. It added that the company "always upholds human rights and the legal rights of labour".

361 Degrees and Anta did not respond to requests for comment.

Mike Bass, an NBA spokesperson, said: "We have always supported and will continue to support every member of the NBA family, including Enes Freedom, expressing their personal views on social and political issues. We will continue to follow US government guidance and policy regarding operating in China and more than 200 other countries and territories around the world where we engage fans."

[...] TBIJ has found sources that link Nike to Fulgent Sun, a footwear manufacturer in Fujian province that has long absorbed workers from Xinjiang

Nike spokesperson said that the company had ended its relationship with the Fujian factory in 2015. They did acknowledge that Nike had sourced from an affiliated site in central China for its label Converse in recent years.

Fulgent Sun didn’t respond to requests for comment.

[Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Arsenal FC to respond to the allegations as a partner of TCL, Arsenal FC did not respond]