China Extends Support To Vivo Employees In India; Are Vivo Employees Safe?

The People’s Republic of China has extended support to two Chinese employees of smartphone maker Vivo in India. China has also urged India not to discriminate against Chinese workers.

India’s financial crime-fighting agency has arrested two senior employees of Vivo’s India unit. However, Vivo – a Chinese multinational technology company headquartered in Dongguan, Guangdong, China – vowed to challenge India’s action legally. 

Enforcement Directorate, a domestic law enforcement agency and economic intelligence agency responsible for enforcing economic laws and fighting economic crime in India, arrested two senior employees working for Chinese smartphone maker Vivo’s India unit in a case of alleged money laundering. 

What happened to Vivo employees in India?

On Saturday, two Vivo employees were brought to a Delhi court. They were sent to the Enforcement Directorate’s custody. They appeared in court on Tuesday. 

The arrests came two months after the Enforcement Directorate arrested four industry executives, including a Chinese worker in a case of alleged money laundering.

However, Vivo has denied all the charges. A Vivo spokesperson said, “The recent arrests demonstrate continued harassment and as such induce an environment of uncertainty amongst the wider industry landscape.”

China’s foreign ministry condemned India over the recent arrests of Chinese workers. China would provide “consular protection” to Chinese citizens arrested in India. 

Mao Ning, the spokesperson and deputy director of information at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, said, “The Chinese embassy and consulates in India will continue to provide consular protection and assistance to the individuals concerned in accordance with the law.”

Vivo money laundering case

Recently, ED arrested interim CEO of Vivo-India Hong Xuquan alias Terry, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Harinder Dahiya, and Vivo consultant Hemant Munjal. 

ED accused the arrested individuals of conducting illegal activities that enabled Vivo India to make wrongful profits of up to the tune of ₹1 lakh crore.

ED also said that some Vivo employees breached rules by visiting the “sensitive” Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir. 

So far, at least 30 Chinese workers entered India on business visas to work as Vivo employees.