U.S. urges China to free activists in Ivanka Trump shoe case

WASHINGTON — The State Department called Monday for the immediate release of three labor activists who investigated a Chinese company that produced Ivanka Trump shoes in China. The Associated Press reported that the men were arrested or went missing last week.

The activists were working with China Labor Watch, a New York-based nonprofit, and investigating Huajian Group factories in the southern Chinese cities of Ganzhou and Dongguan.

The company has denied allegations of excessive overtime and low wages. It says it stopped producing Ivanka Trump shoes months ago.

Up to now, the U.S. government hadn’t said anything about the fate of the men.

“We urge China to release them immediately and otherwise afford them the judicial and fair trial protections to which they are entitled,” said Alicia Edwards, a State Department spokeswoman.

She voiced concern about reports that Chinese authorities detained Hua Haifeng, and that activists Su Heng and Li Zhao are missing and presumed detained.

Edwards would not confirm whether the U.S. raised the issue directly with China, saying she couldn’t comment on diplomatic conversations. White House spokesman Josh Raffel declined to comment.

Ivanka Trump’s brand has declined to comment on the allegations or the arrest and disappearances. Marc Fisher, which produces shoes for Ivanka Trump and other brands, has said it is looking into the allegations. Ivanka Trump’s lifestyle brand imports most of its merchandise from China, trade data show. She and her father both have extensive trademark portfolios in China, though neither has managed to build up a large retail or real estate presence there.