The Rail Security Alliance has expressed support for President Donald Trump’s administration in its decision to halt the import of components intended for the construction of MBTA railcars due to concerns over child and forced labor allegations against the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC).
Erik Olson, Executive Director of the Rail Security Alliance, praised the administration’s diligence in ensuring that CRRC provides adequate evidence that their products do not violate the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
“The Trump Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol are to be commended for holding Chinese state-owned and controlled CRRC accountable to ethical and honest trade and manufacturing practices whenever they seek to operate in the United States,” Olson stated.
This statement comes in light of a report from Contrarian Boston, which highlighted a letter from CRRC President Zhaofu Wang dated June 20. In this letter, Wang acknowledges that the company’s products have been under heightened scrutiny from U.S. Customs agents since at least early May.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for CRRC MA, the Massachusetts subsidiary tasked with constructing Orange and Red Line cars for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), confirmed the ongoing screening but denied any allegations related to forced labor.
According to Lydia Rivera, the spokesperson for CRRC MA, the company maintains rigorous compliance reviews for all suppliers and asserts that no shipments are associated with violations of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
“We take this request very seriously and have responded promptly with providing documentation to CBP to demonstrate full compliance,” Rivera stated.
Despite the delays at U.S. ports, Rivera assured that production at the Springfield facility will not be affected, as there are sufficient materials available to keep operations running.
“There are existing cars and components that will keep our workforce focused on fulfilling our contracts as we resolve this issue,” she said.
Olson also pointed out that CRRC’s railcars manufactured in the U.S. have long been suspected of utilizing mica that is mined in Africa by children, referring to the practice as “one of the worst forms of child labor” globally, which exploits over 86,000 children.
Olson emphasized that the Chinese government’s alleged use of forced labor among the Uyghur population is extensively documented, referencing a 2020 report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. This report claimed that around 80,000 Uyghurs have been compelled to work in factories, linking CRRC to these practices.
Further investigations, including a 2025 report by the New York Times and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, validated much of the findings outlined by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
Olson raised concerns regarding CRRC’s ongoing contracts in the U.S., stating, “Throughout it all, CRRC has continued to reap billions of dollars in passenger train contracts — unchecked — from Boston to Los Angeles.”
A spokesperson for the MBTA, Joe Pesaturo, acknowledged that the agency is aware of the situation and is actively monitoring communications between CRRC and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.
CRRC MA has already addressed two rounds of information requests from CBP and is working on completing a third.
In the meantime, Pesaturo emphasized that the MBTA remains confident in the project at the Springfield plant, noting, “While CRRC MA and CBP work to resolve the matter, the production of new cars at the Springfield plant continues. There are enough car shells and related components at the plant to keep the production line moving at least through the end of this year.”
image source from：bostonherald
