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09/12/2022

Founder Of iPhone Contract Maker Foxconn Convinced Chinese Authorities To Soften Covid Restrictions: Reports




Founder Of iPhone Contract Maker Foxconn Convinced Chinese Authorities To Soften Covid Restrictions: Reports
According to The Wall Street Journal, the owner of China-based Apple vendor Foxconn succeeded in persuading the country's leaders to ease the Covid constraints that sparked protests in China.
 
According to the Journal, Foxconn founder Terry Gou stated in a letter to Chinese leaders over a month ago that China's zero-Covid policy threatened his company's position in global supply chains. He also requested more information about how the rules affected Foxconn employees.
 
Foxconn's iPhone plant in Henan province was shut down earlier this fall, restricting people's movements in an area affected by a Covid outbreak. Some employees attempted to flee the plant on foot.
 
According to the Journal, Gou's letter aided Chinese health officials and government advisors in making the case for accelerated relaxation of Covid restrictions. Protests that later spread throughout China bolstered that argument.
 
Officials who supported a more lenient approach said the highly contagious omicron variant meant lockdowns would become more common under China's most stringent policies, even as public dissatisfaction with the rules grew.
 
When reached for comment on the reported letter, Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the United States, said in a statement that he was "not aware of the specifics."
 
“The Chinese government puts the people and their life first,” he said. “We have been improving the COVID response measures in light of the changing circumstances. By making those adjustments in response to the new circumstances and tasks regarding the COVID response, China has shown that its approach is based on facts and responsive to change. We will continue to adopt a science-based and targeted approach and effectively coordinate epidemic response and socioeconomic development.”
 
There were no comments from Foxconn in this regard.  
 
(Source:www.wsj.com)

Christopher J. Mitchell

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