Editing Laogai (section)

=== Maoist era ===
During the 1950s and 1960s, Chinese prisons, which were similar to organized factories, contained large numbers of people who were considered too critical of the government or "[[counter-revolutionary|counter-revolutionaries]]". However, many people arrested for political or religious reasons were released in the late 1970s at the start of the [[Deng Xiaoping]] reforms (known as [[reform and opening]]).

In the 21st century, critics have said that Chinese prisons produce products for sale in foreign countries, with the profits going to the PRC government.<ref>"[http://www.cecc.gov/pages/roundtables/062305/index.php Forced Labor in China] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725093726/http://www.cecc.gov/pages/roundtables/062305/index.php |date=July 25, 2008 }}."  [http://www.cecc.gov/index.php?PHPSESSID=1ef899de3778f7f35c747b76f11d11fb Congressional-Executive Commission on China].  Retrieved on 2008-10-16.  [http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_house_hearings&docid=f:22613.pdf Full transcript] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081111052436/http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_house_hearings&docid=f:22613.pdf |date=November 11, 2008 }} of the roundtable session available.</ref>  Products include everything from [[green tea]] to industrial engines to [[Coal in China|coal]] dug from [[mining|mines]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4515197.stm |title=China's 'reforming' work programme |access-date=August 20, 2008 |work=BBC News |date=May 11, 2005 |author=Tim Luard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070304081137/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4515197.stm |archive-date=March 4, 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>  According to James D. Seymour and [[Richard C. Anderson|Richard Anderson]], who both teach at Chinese schools,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.columbia.edu/~jds3/Lectures&lecturers/Seymour%20resume/CV%20basic.html |title=Curriculum Vitae |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=www.columbia.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://fabbs.org/our_scientists/richard-anderson-edd/|title=Richard Anderson, EdD – FABBS|date=August 30, 2016 }}</ref> the products made in laogai camps comprise an insignificant amount of [[mainland China]]'s export output and gross domestic product.<ref name="washington times">{{cite web | url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/14/china-labor-camps-on-trial/ | work=The Washington Times | date=November 14, 2008 | title=D.C. museum 1st in U.S. to look at Beijing's prison system | access-date=December 12, 2008 | last=Buffard | first=Anne-Laure | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609185437/http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/14/china-labor-camps-on-trial/ | archive-date=June 9, 2009 | url-status=live }}</ref> They argue that the use of prison labor for manufacturing is not in itself a violation of human rights, and that most prisoners in Chinese prisons are serving time for what are generally regarded as crimes in [[Western world|the West]]. The West's criticism of the ''laogai'' is based not only on the export of products made by forced labor, but also on the claims of detainees [[Prisoner of conscience|being held for political or religious violations]], such as leadership of unregistered [[Chinese House Churches]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegreatseparation.com/newsfront/2004/04/house_church_pa.html|title=The Great Separation: House Church Pastor Expects Death in Chinese Prison|access-date=August 20, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171006111820/http://www.thegreatseparation.com/newsfront/2004/04/house_church_pa.html|archive-date=October 6, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>