Giant has taken several steps to try to resolve the embargo preventing its products made in Taiwan from entering the USA, according to a statement released today.
On 24 September, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a Withhold Release Order (WRO) on any bicycles, bicycle parts and accessories manufactured by Giant in Taiwan after an investigation that found alleged forced labour.
- Read more: Trump administration bars Giant Bicycles imports to the US, citing forced labour allegations
“Giant Group has been committed to openness and transparency, and has taken multiple actions,” the statement says.
Giant says that on 29 September it formally engaged with CBP through its US legal counsel and will arrange an official meeting in the near future.
“On September 30, Giant submitted formal letters to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Labor, and Ministry of Economic Affairs, reporting the progress up to date and respectfully requesting assistance,” adds Giant.
Giant also says it is “actively communicating” with key international partners to safeguard its supply chains and market confidence.
The source of CBP’s allegations of forced labour is unclear. “CBP has never conducted any on-site investigation at Giant Group’s Taiwan manufacturing factory, nor have any of our departments or personnel been contacted by CBP for interviews or inquiries,” Belinda Yeh, a Giant PR specialist, told trade publication Bicycle Retailer.
The only public report on labour conditions at Giant’s facilities in Taiwan is by investigative journalist Peter Bengtsen, who told BikeRadar that debt bondage “is the rule, not the exception, for migrants employed in Taiwan’s bicycle and other industries”.
But after the suspension on imports was revealed, Giant says it has taken “concrete actions” in the last year to address potential labour rights violations, which includes implementing a zero recruitment fee policy and upgrading its employee housing.
Taiwanese Labor Front, an activist group, released a statement on 25 September, which said this is the first time CBP has accused a Taiwanese company of forced labour.
“Taiwanese companies generally lack awareness of human rights risks, particularly regarding the internationally recognized issue of forced labor. This not only fails to meet the expectations of European and American legislative trends, but also risks being gradually excluded from the international market,” the group explained.
Giant says it appreciates the concern and support from the public regarding the import ban.
“Upholding our principles of openness, transparency, and accountability, we will proactively report progress to regulators, partners, and the public, and ensure that all related issues are properly addressed in accordance with international standards,” it said.
