China locks down entire city where 70% of the world’s iPhones are made

The Chinese government has locked down an entire city that houses the biggest Apple iPhone factory in the world. The factory owned by Foxconn recently witnessed worker protests on a massive scale. Ensuing protests, Chinese officials decided to lockdown the city and asked residents to stay at home and only leave if necessary. 

According to an alert by AFP, China has instated a Covid lockdown in several districts of Zhengzhou. This comes right at the heels of the violent protests by workers at the Foxconn manufacturing facility. The lockdown also puts financial pressure on both the companies as well as China’s economy, which is already facing a downturn due to a spike in Covid cases and subsequent lockdowns. 

Also read: Men carrying sticks smash CCTV cameras at world’s largest iPhone factory; watch video

The worker unrest at the Foxconn facility started on Wednesday. Videos surfaced where men were seen smashing surveillance cameras and make-shift covid testing centers. However, none of the videos could be verified independently. The workers were heard chanting ‘Give us our pay’. They also complained about poor working conditions during the lockdown. 

Following the unrest, Foxconn has come forward to acknowledge a ‘technical error’ on their end. According to a report by Reuters, the company claimed that a technical error occurred during the onboarding process. They issued a statement saying, "We apologize for an input error in the computer system and guarantee that the actual pay is the same as agreed and the official recruitment posters."

Also Read: Apple iPhone maker Foxconn issues apology for hiring blunder that led to violent protests

Fresh reports have suggested that most of the protestors have left the site. And the company is trying to resolve the issue with the remaining employees. 

China is witnessing a new surge in Covid cases. The company has registered a record number of cases since the pandemic began. China has reported 31,454 cases on Wednesday. However, 25,517 cases are asymptomatic. The prolonged lockdowns cast a shadow on the county's economic prospects as well. Apple relies heavily on Foxconn’s Zhengzhou facility for iPhone production. The factory is responsible for 70 per cent of global iPhone shipments.