Brands have long relied on social auditing companies to monitor their supply chains in China. But between the industry’s own flaws and a changing political environment in China, many say social audits aren't reliable.
Illustration by Luis Grañena
In 2012, just as Apple was preparing to release the iPhone 5, the company found itself in a bind. A damning series of reportsIn addition to The New York Times, other media outlets and labor rights groups also published reports on labor conditions at factories in China that contracted to manufacture for Apple. was released that detailed troubling working conditions at the factories of a key supplier, Foxconn, in Chengdu and Shenzhen, China. Apple’s supplier, the reports had found, had excessive
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The recent conviction of Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong’s most famous dissident, on alleged national security offenses was the end of a process set in motion years ago by the Chinese Communist Party. Lai, who could have sought safety in another country, chose to stay and fight.
David Webb, who for years fought for fairer markets and better-run companies in Hong Kong, passed away on January 13, 2026. In tribute, we are resurfacing this article about his career, first published in May...
The journalist talks about the latest series of her podcast Face Off where she covers topics ranging from China’s nuclear build-up to robots to Gen Z’s woes.
An award-winning podcast about the world’s two superpowers, the two men in charge, and the vital issues that affect us all. Face-Off cuts through the noise for the real story, with essential historical context.
In this season, longtime foreign correspondent for The New York Times Jane Perlez and celebrated China historian Rana Mitter cover Xi at the negotiating table, Gen Z disillusionment, China’s military rise, Pacific tensions, tech advances, and soft power.
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