iPhone maker distances itself from ‘unauthorised’ agency discriminating against China’s Uygur and Tibetan ethnic minorities
- Li Zhong Human Resources near Foxconn’s factory in Zhengzhou said it did not accept applications from workers from China’s Uygur and Tibetan minorities
- Foxconn alerted local government officials to the ‘possible illicit activity’ near the world’s largest iPhone assembly plant in China’s Henan province
The world’s largest maker of iPhones has distanced itself from an “unauthorised” recruitment agency near its factory in Zhengzhou that was excluding ethnic minority jobseekers from applying for jobs.
Foxconn, which employs around million workers in China, was alerted by an earlier investigation by the South China Morning Post to a sign inside Li Zhong Human Resources near its largest factory in China that it did not accept applications from workers from China’s Uygur and Tibetan minorities.
China’s prohibits discrimination against ethnic minorities with regards to employment and Premier Li Keqiang said last week that China will seek to prevent discrimination based upon sex and identity, which is widely reported to occur.
“We immediately alerted local government officials to this possible illicit activity and an investigation into the recruitment agency in question is underway.”
Li Zhong Human Resources is one of many agencies near Foxconn’s vast 1.4 million square metre (15 million square feet) Zhengzhou factory, although it was the only one seen to be opening displaying the policy.