Letter from Foxconn founder pushed China to ease Covid restrictions: Report

Terry Gou, the founder of the world’s largest iPhone assembler, Foxconn, reportedly sent a letter to the Chinese government and warned them that the restrictions under its zero-Covid-19 policy would threaten China’s central position in global supply chains, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported. The letter was sent a month ago when Foxconn’s factory in Zhengzhou was rocked by protests.

Gou demanded “more transparency into restrictions on the company’s workers”, the report said, citing people aware of the matter. The letter was seized on by health officials and government advisers to tell the government that it needed to ease the Covid-19 restrictions. The nationwide protests, which took place weeks after the letter was sent, further solidified their case.