Slave-labour factory Leisure Clothing is owned and run by the Chinese government

Published: October 31, 2014 at 1:31pm
China's Vice Minister of Commerce pays a visit to Leisure Clothing in 2010 to check out his government's investment there.

China’s Vice Minister of Commerce pays a visit to Leisure Clothing in 2010 to check out his government’s investment there.

Leisure Clothing 5

chongqing

Leisure Clothing 1

Leisure Clothing 2

Leisure Clothing 3

The facts emerging in the media right now about Leisure Clothing might have left people with the impression that Leisure Clothing is owned by a Chinese citizen or that it is somehow private enterprise.

It is not.

It is owned by the Chinese state. It is run by an agency of the Chinese government.

Han Bin, the director who was arrested in the last few days, is the fall-guy. In the Chinese way, whenever there is a scandal involving the authorities or the government, a scapegoat is found and that scapegoat is imprisoned or executed. This is what has happened here, except that under Maltese law he must be given due process.

Chongqing International Economic & Technical Cooperative Company, which owns and operates Leisure Clothing, is a Chinese state agency. Its website describes its activities: “our major business includes domestic and international projects contracting and supervision, economic aid projects to foreign countries on behalf of Chinese Government, labor service cooperation with both domestic and overseas enterprises, outward investment, and foreign trade and so on.”

Given that Muscat’s government is already in difficulties with China and its pre-electoral agreements and promises (and any money that may have changed hands between the Chinese government and the Malta Labour Party), matters look to become quite complicated.

So we have a situation where a Malta factory owned by the Chinese government uses trafficked Chinese workers in indentured servitude. And then Muscat and his sidekick Konrat tell Enemalta employees that their jobs are safe and that they needn’t worry just because China is taking over Enemalta and the Delimara power station.

And of course, we haven’t even begun to consider the diplomatic implications of a foreign government trafficking people into Malta, keeping them in slavery on Maltese territory, and using Malta as a manufacturing outpost to circumvent EU quotas and restrictions with a ‘Made in EU’ label.

Because these neo-colonialists can’t enslave the local population, they traffic their own slaves into Malta.




25 Comments Comment

  1. xejn b' xejn says:

    and the plot thickens. I urge any good-willed Journalist to investigate and report. This is a story of relevance.

  2. Jozef says:

    So, does one go to the Chinese Embassy to get a couple of free T-shirts?

    ‘Hi, I got a story on your Leisure Clothing, no I won’t give you my inside leg…..’

    • Jozef says:

      And does Sai Mizzi go round wherever she is, with a car full of made in EU garb?

      Ghalhekk il-fuel allowance.

    • H.P. Baxxter says:

      “….but you can have my kidney.”

      Jozef, please. This is China. Where their idea of humour is shooting you with the blindfold off.

      But I’m told we must be hbieb ma’ kullhadd. Presumably because we have no principles.

      Or is it because we are weaklings and try to suck up to everyone in case they turn nasty? It’s just that I’m beginning to see all sorts of advantages to joining NATO.

  3. Grezz says:

    And meanwhile, Mrs Konrad Mizzi is lapping it up off the Maltese taxpayers’ backs, probably earning annually what these Chinese slaves earned – combined – in their decades here.

  4. Not Sandy:P says:

    The Chinese minister’s visit was a couple of months before Joseph Muscat signed a ftehim fit-tul with the Communist party which he called an agreement between two countries.

    That was in 2010. Muscat was leader of thr opposition.

    https://www.scribd.com/mobile/doc/128130324

  5. jaqq says:

    It was said that Sai Mizzi Lang would be a business envoy promoting business between China and Malta. If this is the sort of business she managed to attract then one has to really worry

  6. P Shaw says:

    Separately but relatedly, what happened to Konrad Mizzi’s plan to start manufacturing Chinese solar panels in Malta with the ‘Made in EU’ label?

    Were they planning to import Chinese slaves for that as well, so as to have competitive prices? There is no other way to cut costs as raw material costs the same to other European brands, such as the ones built in Germany. Did the Memorandum of Understanding with China cover these details?

    • Jozef says:

      Germany’s Merkel listened to what German producers, Siemens included, had to say, no more dumping they said.

      And so it was, but that’s Angela Merkel. Muscat’s plans are nothing but circumvention of the rules, going directly against Juncker’s plans; a 300 billion euro injection to re-industrialize the continent.

      When others are talking integrated power grid, energetic and industrial autonomy, digital manufacturing and the attached revolution, Labour does what it always did, sabotage the common good.

      • H.P. Baxxter says:

        That’s Angela Merkel, who doesn’t stand about making smalltalk.

        Oh and not to put too fine a point on it, but if the EU saw fit to slap sanctions on Russia, ruining several thousand German and Polish farmers in the process (and then introducing subsidies), on what grounds do we refuse to slap sanctions on China?

  7. qahbuMalti says:

    … and Labour supported Bortex – I think there was another current minister in their employ – reaped the benefits! Taghna Lkoll!! Dream on if you think there will be any action taken there….

  8. Tabatha White says:

    If these slaves are being trafficked into Malta with visas, what is the parallel situation with passports? To whom are they being sold?

    And who is picking up that commission too?

  9. Dott Abjad says:

    Chinese government officials involved in corruption you say?
    Well, I never . . .

    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29845257

  10. Wink says:

    Shallow people elected an unprincipled government. Anything which instantly gratifies and sells will do.

    This is the philosophy of being ‘cheap’ and making easy money.

    Of course, the Malta Labour Party might have had agreements with the Chinese government.

    With such reasoning, this may have been marketed as ‘thinking out of the box’ or ‘being progressive’ and ‘looking beyond the EU’ – yes right… the art of living cheap comes with its consequences.

    Principles, transparency and democracy does not come cheap. The PN administration may have lost some ground on these and the people started identifying with shallow instant gratifiers who do not have a long-term vision.

  11. A V says:

    in no time Enemalta under new management (of course Chinese) will be laying off Maltese employees and replacing them with slaves. An all Maltese citizens of goodwill will be happy that electricity bills have gone down thanks to Joseph and his efficient government.

  12. Gahan says:

    I don’t have any doubts that this is how Shanghai Electric is going to produce photo voltaic panels in Malta.

    I expect a media BLITZ about this Maoist PV project.

  13. Wistin Schembri says:

    Now I understand what Muscat meant by talent when he said “We’re not after your money; we’re after talent”.

  14. edgar says:

    Kitten must be saying to himself, pity that they are all girls.

  15. Lisa Meyer says:

    There is a boutique called Label C in Sliema that sells clothing made from this factory in Bulebel called Leisure Clothing.

    They altered some clothing I bought from them. I would have never bought anything there if I had known about what was going on.

    Literally disgusting to say the least! I thought they were made by and designed by Maltese workers. The Made In Italy and Made In Malta labels can be very misleading! I will watch more closely the next time I purchase from Malta or Italy.

  16. Lisa Meyer says:

    Label C has a Facebook page. I am really appalled that I made a purchase in that boutique in Sliema which I thought the clothing was made and designed in Malta. Not from Chinese slave laborers. I threw the clothes away! Next time I will check out the clothing stores thoroughly before buying.

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