In Sichuan Province's Daliang Mountain, many children are barely clothed, suffer from hunger, and fend for themselves; they are the children of the common people, not the focus of the CCP’s care. (Video screenshot)
[People News] According to a report by the non-governmental organisation "China Human Rights Defenders Network" (CHRD) released on May 21, issues such as the illegal employment of child labourers by companies and the forced internships of students from secondary vocational schools persist in certain regions of China. The report indicates that some minors are subjected to long working hours, night shifts, and even face personal safety risks during their internships or work. The organisation urges the Chinese Communist Party government to suspend the mandatory requirement of forced internships for vocational school students' graduation and calls for relevant companies to publicly disclose the results of their human rights due diligence investigations.
As reported by Radio Free Asia, the 46-page report titled "Is There Really a Free Choice? Child Labour and Forced Internships for Vocational School Students in China" compiles information from the Chinese Communist Party government's administrative punishment records, court documents, online databases, and Chinese media reports, detailing relevant cases that occurred in 11 provinces in China from 2019 to 2025. The report states that around 4 million secondary vocational school students in China are required to complete internships each year, with some being assigned to positions unrelated to their field of study, working 10 to 12 hours a day, and being required to work night shifts.
Minors are being placed in low-skilled positions.
Rights activist Xing Jian, who is concerned about the illegal employment of child labour, spoke in an interview with Radio Free Asia, stating that the Chinese Communist Party has long claimed to prioritise 'minor protection' and 'rule of law'. However, the reality is that the employment of minors is a significant issue in some remote and economically disadvantaged areas: 'In these regions, many minors are forced to drop out of school before completing nine years of compulsory education, entering the workforce and ultimately becoming cheap labour. Some 'black intermediaries' even collaborate with certain schools, using the pretence of 'internship' and 'employment training' to place mentally immature children in assembly lines and low-skilled physical jobs, profiting from their exploitation.'
The report highlights that some vocational school students not only perform work unrelated to their studies during internships but also face management pressures, health risks, and safety hazards. It documented the deaths of three students during their internships, two of whom committed suicide, while one died due to insufficient medical care; another student was injured from self-harm.
The issue of accountability for internship-related casualties is complicated by difficulties in identity verification.
China's 'Minor Protection Law' and 'Labour Law' prohibit the employment of minors under 16. The CHRD report asserts that while these regulations exist, local enforcement and school oversight have not been effectively carried out.
Hunan legal scholar Su Yang stated in an interview with Radio Free Asia that accountability for injuries or fatalities among vocational school students during internships often falters due to issues surrounding identity recognition and the division of responsibility. He explained, 'The challenge in the cases we handle stems from the ambiguous dual identity of 'student' and 'worker.' Because the status of being a student typically does not establish a labour relationship, these individuals cannot directly access work injury insurance regulations. Furthermore, internships involve three parties—schools, enterprises, and students—leading to a situation where, after an accident, schools and enterprises tend to shift blame onto one another.'
Recurring Issues Highlighted by Punishment Records
The report further indicates that illegal child labour remains a persistent issue in the manufacturing, entertainment, and service sectors. The China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) reviewed over a dozen punishment records issued by relevant authorities between 2019 and 2025, covering six provinces and including children as young as 13. Notably, in July 2024, the Dongguan City government in Guangdong Province issued 39 administrative penalty notices to various enterprises due to child labour violations.
These records reveal that the issue of child labour recurs across different regions. CHRD asserts that while public penalties and media coverage can create a degree of accountability, they often depend on the proactive reporting of affected children and their families. For many families, reporting can lead to retaliation, loss of income, or conflicts with schools and employers, meaning that public cases may not accurately reflect the true extent of the problem.
In an interview, Mr Gu, a retired teacher from a vocational school in Dalian, stated that when the school informs students about participating in internships, it is nearly impossible for them to refuse. He explained, "The most powerful leverage the school has is the threat of withholding graduation certificates if students do not complete internships, or even not issuing them at all. Students and their parents are left with no option but to reluctantly participate in the internships. Additionally, wages are not paid directly to the students; instead, the total amount is categorised as 'service fees' and distributed to third-party intermediary organisations or the school. This situation opens the door for potential manipulation, as students are unaware of the original payment standards set by the companies."
The report asserts that the Chinese government has not adequately fulfilled its commitments under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and relevant agreements from the International Labour Organisation, which it has ratified. The China Human Rights Defenders (CHRD) urges the Chinese government to suspend the mandatory internship requirement for graduation from secondary vocational schools until the rights of children in vocational internship programs are effectively safeguarded. The organisation also emphasised that as a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, China's compliance should be subject to continuous international review. △
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