Taiwanese firms supplying Apple affected by COVID-19 lockdown in China

Taipei: Apple manufacturing partner Foxconn Technology Group said today that operation of its Shenzhen plant in China has been suspended after a seven-day COVID-19 lockdown policy was imposed there.

"The date of factory resumption is to be advised by the local government," Foxconn said in a statement sent to the media.

"Due to our diversified production sites in China, we have adjusted the production line to minimize the potential impact," the statement said further.

Authorities in the sprawling tech hub of Shenzhen have imposed a one-week lockdown on the 9 million inhabitants of the city as China suffers its worst wave of COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began.

Foxconn sources told dpa that it remains uncertain whether the production halt will last seven days as policy might be adjusted.

Foxconn said that management has required "all employees to have COVID-19 PCR tests on top of existing prevention measures to ensure the health and safety of our employees."

Taiwan's state-run Central News Agency reported today that the plant's operation could possibly resume if the Foxconn management conducts virus-control measures strictly and limits the activities of all employees within the plant's campuses.

In addition, other Taiwanese tech companies on Monday announced a seven-day suspension of work at their factories, located in Shenzhen, including printed circuit board maker Unimicron Technology Corp, which also supplies Apple.