laogai

[lou-gahy]

noun

1. the system of forced-labor camps, prisons, etc., in China.

Word History and Origins

Origin of laogai¹

1990–95; < Chinese: literally, reform through labor

Example Sentences

When will it reach the stage of China, where a social media post can land a private citizen in a laogai?

Read more on Salon

Pang talks to activists and laborers, combing through Chinese media accounts, and making a convincing case that brands from H&M to AmericanGirl have reaped the benefits of cheap laogai, or forced labor.

Read more on New York Times

This, in turn, increases the pressure on Chinese factories to deliver flexibly and cheaply, driving them to look for money-saving labor solutions, like those found in laogai prisons.

Read more on New York Times

The Shanghai-born Wu, a U.S. citizen who died last April, was director the Laogai Research Foundation, a Washington-based human rights organization.

Read more on Reuters

An irascible, strong-willed figure, Mr. Wu ended up spending much of that money on his organization, the Laogai Research Foundation, which had worked to expose China’s exploitative use of prison labor, especially those jailed for political crimes.

Read more on New York Times