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Made in China
Discover the truth behind the discounts.
In 2012, an Oregon mother named Julie Keith opened up a package of Halloween decorations. The cheap foam headstones had been five dollars at Kmart, too good a deal to pass up. But when she opened the box, something shocking fell out: an SOS letter, handwritten in broken English.
“Sir: If you occassionally buy this product, please kindly resend this letter to the World Human Right Organization. Thousands people here who are under the persicuton of the Chinese Communist Party Government will thank and remember you forever.”
The note’s author, Sun Yi, was a mild-mannered Chinese engineer turned political prisoner, forced into grueling labor as punishment for campaigning for the freedom to join a forbidden meditation movement. He was imprisoned alongside petty criminals, civil rights activists, and tens of thousands of others the Chinese government had decided to “reeducate,” carving foam gravestones and stitching clothing for more than fifteen hours a day.
In Made in China, investigative journalist Amelia Pang pulls back the curtain on Sun’s story and the stories of others like him, including the persecuted Uyghur minority group, whose abuse and exploitation is rapidly gathering steam. What she reveals is a closely guarded network of laogai—forced labor camps—that power the rapid pace of American consumerism. Through extensive interviews and firsthand reportage, Pang shows us the true cost of America’s cheap goods and shares what is ultimately a call to action—urging us to ask more questions and demand more answers from the companies we patronize.
This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Algonquin.
Book club questions for Made in China by Amelia Pang
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
In 2012, an Oregon mother named Julie Keith opened a package of Halloween decorations. An SOS letter, handwritten in broken English by the prisoner who’d made and packaged the items, fell out of the box. What would you do if you found such a letter?
The author of the SOS letter was a political prisoner named Sun Yi. Does Sun’s story change your views on products that were made in China? What are some factors you might consider the next time you go shopping?
Historically, systemic forced labor was not unique to China. Unpaid labor has made many empires wealthy throughout the centuries. What other powerful economies have relied on forced labor in the past? Can you think of other instances of forced labor still happening today?
Ulrich Orth, an associate professor of developmental psychology at the University of Bern in Switzerland, speaks about how consumers compartmentalize to justify the ethics of their purchases. What else do people in our society compartmentalize?
Do you think consumers are capable of consistently making ethical buying choices? Or will price and desire always sometimes prevail? How does poverty and the need for cheap options complicate the equation?
Some brands claim to be transparent by releasing summaries of their factories’ audit scores. But they often don’t reveal the comprehensiveness of their audits. Were you surprised to learn that measures designed to create transparency don’t always do so? After reading this book, are there any brands that you do still trust to be transparent, ethical and sustainable? Which ones, and why?
When American companies make sudden production changes to stay current with the latest fast fashion trends, factories often do not have time to keep up with these changes in-house. They must subcontract work to forced laborers—who can work all night to meet production deadlines. As American consumers, are we complicit if we buy these goods?
Is it possible to 100% avoid “Made in China” products? What are some more realistic and impactful strategies to create social change?
In 1991, a 60 Minutes exposé on Chinese forced labor products being sold in American stores shook American consumers. It even led to congressional hearings, where political figures such as Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi expressed outrage. Three decades later, Chinese prison products are still being sold in the U.S. Why do you think so little has changed?
Falun Gong is a religious group that is banned in China. Although its members initially only advocated for freedom of religion, the group has since morphed into a sprawling underground resistance movement against the Chinese Communist Party. What role does Falun Gong play in Sun’s life? How does it affect Sun’s choices?
Sun had a complicated relationship with May. How did Sun’s activism affect his family life? Do you think his personal sacrifices were worthwhile?
China has developed an unprecedented high-tech predictive policing program—one that uses artificial intelligence and big data to teach computers how to predict terrorism before it happens. Do you think China will be the only country to do this, or can you imagine similar programs being used in our society? After reading this book, what do you think the pros and cons of such a system would be?
Made in China Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the Made in China discussion questions