- On 30 September 2025, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a withhold release order (WRO) against Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd covering all bicycles, component and accessories imported from Taiwan. Taiwan supplies about 40% of bicycles imported to the US.
- Under the US Tariff Act of 1930, CBP has the authority to issue a WRO to detain goods it suspects have been made with forced labour at port pending further investigation.
- CBP framed the WRO as an economic safeguard for US workers, stating ‘Giant profited by imposing such abuse, resulting in goods produced below market value and undercutting American businesses by millions of dollars in unjustly earned profits.’ CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott added that the agency has a ‘proven track record of cracking down on companies that use forced labour to the detriment of law-abiding US businesses.’
- CBP cited five of the 11 ILO forced labour indicators, including debt bondage, withholding of wages, excessive overtime, abuse of vulnerability and abusive working and living conditions. This is the first WRO against a company in Taiwan.
- CBP has not disclosed evidence in this case. However, the case mirrors findings from investigations into forced labour in the bicycle sector in Taiwan of foreign migrant workers from Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines, published in Le Monde Diplomatique (June 2024, February 2025).
- Key findings in these investigations included:
- Recruitment fees up to $6,500, plus additional ‘anti-escape’ deposits
- Passport retention
- Restricted movement and monitoring outside factory grounds
- Discrimination, including exclusion from unions
- Crowded and unsanitary living conditions.
- Giant introduced a Zero Tolerance Policy on recruitment fees in January 2025 and has reportedly covered all recruitment related fees since then. It is petitioning the WRO and has formally engaged with CBP. However, reports note that Giant has yet to reimburse recruitment fees previously paid by migrant workers.
US CBP issues WRO against Giant, the Taiwan-based bike manufacturer
20.10.2025
