China's Jinjiang Group is in the spotlight after Brazil's labour authorities said workers at a factory it is building for electric vehicle maker BYD were victims of human trafficking working in "slavery-like conditions".

Brazil has stopped issuing temporary work visas for BYD, the Brazilian 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.

China's Jinjiang Group is under scrutiny after Brazil's labour authorities reported that workers at a factory it is constructing for electric vehicle manufacturer BYD were subjected to human trafficking and "slavery-like conditions,

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Brazil has suspended temporary work visas for BYD following allegations of human trafficking at its construction site in Bahia. Labor authorities revealed 163 workers from China were brought under 'slavery-like' conditions by contractor Jinjiang Group.

A spokesperson for Chinese automaker BYD has objected to reports about poor conditions at a construction site in Brazil where it is building a factory, saying the allegations were aimed at “smearing” China and Chinese brands.

Dozens of Chinese workers have been taken and put up in hotels in Brazil’s tropical northeastern region after local labor authorities found them at a construction site for electric vehicle automaker BYD.

BYD has been building the factory with an annual capacity of producing 150,000 cars initially in Brazil, the Chinese EV giant's largest overseas market, as part of plans to start production there.

RIO DE JANEIRO/SHANGHAI (Reuters) -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.