From Laojiao to Labor Exploitation: Is China Exporting Re-Education Through Work to Serbia’s Mining Industry?

China’s Re-education Through Labor (RTL) system, known as laojiao (劳动教养), was officially abolished in 2013, but its legacy and potential continuation under different forms remain a concern, particularly in industries with high Chinese labor presence, such as mining projects in Serbia.

Implemented in the 1950s, RTL was a system that allowed Chinese authorities to detain individuals without trial for up to four years, often targeting political dissidents, religious practitioners (such as Falun Gong members), petitioners, and minor offenders. The system was widely criticized for its arbitrary detentions, forced labor conditions, and human rights abuses. The abolition of RTL in 2013 was hailed as a significant reform, but many experts argue that other forms of extrajudicial detention, such as custody and education and compulsory drug rehabilitation centers, have effectively replaced RTL.

In recent years, Serbia has become a key hub for Chinese investments, particularly in the mining sector. One of the most controversial projects is the Zijin Bor Copper mine, which was taken over by China’s Zijin Mining Group in 2018. Reports have emerged of Chinese workers (actual prisoners?) at Serbian mining sites facing exploitative working conditions. Some investigative reports and human rights organizations have suggested that certain conditions resemble elements of forced labor.

Lack of oversight: Chinese companies operating in Serbia often bypass EU labor regulations due to Serbia’s non-EU status.

Dependence on employer: Many Chinese workers in Serbia arrive on temporary work permits issued by Chinese employers, leaving them vulnerable to labor rights abuses.

Similarities to RTL practices: While there is no direct evidence that the abolished RTL system is being replicated, the conditions faced by Chinese workers in Serbia—such as restricted movement, dependence on company-provided housing, and lack of legal protection—mirror elements of China’s past labor re-education policies.

Although Serbia does not officially have a laojiao-like system, China’s influence in global labor markets, especially through its Belt and Road Initiative, has raised concerns that exploitative labor practices may be expanding beyond China’s borders. Reports of Chinese construction and mining workers in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Balkans facing forced labor-like conditions suggest that Beijing’s labor policies might be influencing how Chinese state-linked companies operate abroad.

While China officially abolished RTL in 2013, elements of its forced labor system appear to persist under different names, both domestically and in foreign projects. The case of Chinese workers in Serbian mines highlights serious concerns over labor rights violations, where conditions resemble the exploitative and coercive mechanisms once characteristic of RTL.