New | Foxconn may follow, if Trump pulls US tech companies back to America
The world’s largest contract assembler of consumer electronics says it’s in talks to invest in a US assembly, responding to Trump’s tweets to bring jobs home
Foxconn Technology Group, the world’s largest contract assembler of consumer electronics including Apple iPhones and iPads, said it’s in talks to invest in an assembly in the United States, responding to tweets by president-elect Donald Trump for American businesses to localise their production and bring jobs home.
Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., has around 1 million workers on staff, most of them in China, making everything from smartphones, tablets to laptop computers and screens.
While a US site is unlikely for Hon Hai’s labour-intensive assemblies due to high American wages, it’s a crucial move if Trump makes good his campaign promise to penalise US businesses that base their production -- and especially jobs -- offshore.
Foxconn confirmed it’s currently negotiating the potential for investing in a US assembly, declining to elaborate.
“While the scope of the potential investment has not been determined, we will announce the details of any plan following the completion of direct discussions between our leadership and the relevant U.S. officials,” the company said in a December 7 response to queries by the South China Morning Post.