When news broke that Chinese automaker BYD was being sued in Brazil for labor violations involving over 220 Chinese workers, the reaction on Chinese social media was swift and defensive. Conspiracy theories surged—some claimed Brazilian workers were jealous, others blamed foreign interference, and a few pointed fingers at Brazil’s government for trying to sabotage China’s global expansion. The dominant narrative suggested China was once again the target of “hostile foreign forces.”
But amid the nationalistic uproar, a more thoughtful voice emerged. Writing under the pen name “Midnight Scream”—a nod to Lu Xun’s legacy of piercing social critique—one Chinese commentator urged a different kind of reflection.
His article “Why Is the Brazilian Labor Court Seeking Compensation for Chinese Workers? (巴西劳工法院为何要替中国工人索赔？)”calls on Chinese companies to reexamine their labor practices, which may be normalized at home but clash hard with stricter standards abroad, especially in countries like Brazil with a strong labor rights tradition rooted in a century of leftist struggle.
The piece categorizes the online reaction into three main types of speculation, then unpacks their flaws. To put the case in perspective, the article continues by comparing it to a 2013 case where Samsung was fined $110 million for overworking its Brazilian factory staff, despite being a key investor in the country. This reinforces the point that BYD is unlikely to be targeted unfairly and that Brazil takes labor protection seriously, regardless of nationality.
Ultimately, the article provides historical context by tracing Brazil’s long legacy of left-wing labor activism and welfare policies, and presents Brazil not as a hostile environment, but as one with a long-standing commitment to workers’ dignity—something Chinese firms operating abroad can no longer afford to ignore.
