Brazil has stopped issuing temporary work visas for BYD , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday, in the wake of accusations that some workers at a site owned by the Chinese electric vehicle producer had been victims of human trafficking.

Chinese workers at BYD's factory site in Brazil's Bahia were identified as human trafficking victims. The company and contractor Jinjiang Group are negotiating contract terminations for 163 workers. Allegations of slavery-like conditions create a potential diplomatic issue amid China's deepening investment in Brazil.

Authorities in Brazil said Friday they were probing Chinese auto giant BYD and one of its contractors for suspected "trafficking" of Chinese workers who were building a factory in the

Chinese workers at a construction site in Brazil for a factory owned by China's electric vehicle producer BYD are victims of human trafficking, Brazilian labor authorities said on Thursday in a growing controversy in BYD's biggest overseas market.

The 163 Chinese workers found by Brazil's labor ministry in what it described as "slavery-like conditions" at a factory construction site owned by Chinese electric vehicle producer BYD have been removed and taken to hotels,

Shocking news emerged recently as labour officials in Brazil revealed that employees from China working at a construction site linked to BYD Electric Vehicle company are believed to be victims of human trafficking activities.