German chemical giant BASF said Tuesday it has divested shares of its joint ventures in China’s Xinjiang region, a move welcomed by Uyghur activists concerned over used of forced labor there. Since late 2023, BASF announced its intention to divest its shares in BASF Markor Chemical Manufacturing and Markor Meiou Chemical in Xinjiang’s Korla region. German media had alleged its local partner was involved in human rights abuses in Xinjiang. BASF said Tuesday in a statement that the buyer was Verde Chemical Singapore Pte. Ltd. which is majority controlled by Verde Ventures SGP, a Singapore-registered company. Both parties have agreed not to disclose financial details of the transaction completed Monday, it said. BASF has previously said its audits had not found any evidence of human rights violations in the two joint ventures, but that published reports contained “serious allegations that indicate activities inconsistent with BASF’s values.” Xinjiang Meike.jpeg
