Apple supplier
Foxconn Technology Group
has restarted hiring at the globe’s biggest iPhone plant, situated in the Central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, after temporarily halting recruitments when US President Donald Trump introduced fresh duties on Chinese products earlier this month.
A number of job seekers along with a representative from the management at the Zhengzhou branch told the South China Morning Post anonymously on Monday that recruitment activities restarted this week following an unexpected halt the previous week. Given its substantial requirement for workforce and fluctuating production timelines, the factory usually advertises employment opportunities all through the year.
Still, demand for workers at the facility appears to have declined. The latest recruitment notice, published late on Sunday, indicates that the company is looking for workers to sign up for three-month contracts, and offering an hourly rate of 20 yuan (US$2.70) for temporary workers.
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A job seeker from the neighboring city of Zhoukou, who gave only her last name Yin, mentioned that she has submitted a preliminary application to Foxconn and is set for an on-site interview at the company’s Zhengzhou plant.
Hiring resumed soon after the Trump administration made the announcement.
a temporary exemption
For electronics items such as smartphones, tariff reciprocation will not apply. Nevertheless, government representatives specified on Monday that these goods might still be subjected to semiconductor-related duties over the next few months.
Foxconn, the globe’s leading contract electronics manufacturer and commonly referred to as
Hon Hai Precision Industry
did not promptly reply to requests for comments on Monday.
The abrupt stoppage followed by the resumed recruitment at Foxconn underscores the upheaval triggered by the trade dispute between the United States and China on Apple’s supply chain, which stands as one of the biggest and most significant globally, having been cultivated over many years with contributions from over a hundred vendors.
The hiring freeze at the Zhengzhou facility was initially reported by regional staffing firms on April 7, just days following Trump’s announcement of extensive tariffs aimed at products from China and various other nations.
Experts suggest that the rising tariffs imposed by Trump could result in substantial price hikes for the iPhone, which is Apple’s top-selling item, upon implementation of these new taxes.
Meanwhile, the relocation of iPhone manufacturing from China to other nations persists. According to a Bloomberg News article, Apple’s contractors produced $22 billion worth of iPhones in India over the year ending in March, representing an almost 60 percent rise in output. The report also noted that one out of every five iPhones was made in India.
According to Huatai Securities, Trump’s tariffs might increase the cost of each iPhone sold in the U.S. by an extra $240. The analysts noted in a recent client report that if all these expenses were transferred to customers, this could lead to a 24 percent hike in retail prices in North America.
Although China continues to be Apple’s biggest international market and the main location where iPhones and numerous other products are assembled, the trade conflict is anticipated to speed up the relocation of manufacturing to different nations, as stated by Counterpoint.
The consultancy stated that such a restructuring of the supply chain would necessitate several years and substantial governmental support along with an ample availability of trained professionals.
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The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
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