Chinese authorities imprisoned nearly 600,000 people in the area around the world’s largest iPhone factory on Wednesday, after dozens of workers fled there for fear of restrictions due to a covid outbreak.
Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone (centre), where Taiwanese technology giant Foxconn’s factory is located, began a seven-day quarantine today, according to an official statement.
The factory, which employs more than 200,000 people, has been closed since mid-October following the coronavirus outbreak. The site is approximately 600 km southwest of Beijing.
“It’s still running in a closed circuit,” Foxconn told AFP on Wednesday.
According to analysts in the press, the industrial complex, which has three factories and employs approximately 350,000 people, provides the assembly of approximately 80% of the latest model of the American giant Apple, the iPhone 14.
To no longer be so dependent on China, Apple announced in September that it would outsource some of its production to India, where about 3% of iPhones are made.
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Last week, images of workers fleeing the factory emerged on Chinese social media, some by jumping over the fence and returning home on foot after traveling long distances.
Workers complained online about poor working conditions and said they had to flee the factory to avoid Covid restrictions.
NGO China Labor Watch, citing employee references, said sick workers should continue to work with others, and many positive and contact cases were isolated in a neighboring building under construction.
As of this Wednesday, more than 600,000 residents of the economic zone will not be able to “leave the house” except for essential reasons such as covid tests and emergency medical attention, excluding covid prevention volunteers and essential workers. treatment.
Authorities also stated that only medical vehicles or vehicles carrying essential goods will be allowed to pass. And they warned that they “will not compromise on any violation.”
To keep employees, Foxconn announced on Tuesday that employees will receive a daily bonus of 400 yuan ($55) for reporting to work, which is four times the 100 yuan bonus the previous day.
Employees will also receive an additional bonus of up to 15,000 yuan if they sign up for full attendance this month if they come to work for 15 days or more in November.
Foxconn acknowledged that it faces a “long battle” against Covid, but did not specify the number of employees who tested positive or were imprisoned at its Zhengzhou plant.
China is the last major economy in the world to pursue a zero covid strategy of eliminating the circulation of the virus through quarantine, mass testing and long quarantines.
On Wednesday, China reported more than 2,000 new infections for the third day in a row, leading to new restrictions.
The Macau region has announced tests for its 700,000 residents after detecting several cases that caused one of its casinos to close.
Industrial hub Guangzhou, meanwhile, announced partial closures in several counties on Monday and reported more than 520 new infections Tuesday.
source: Noticias
