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Business InsiderJul 03, 2023
The Facts
According to the Chinese state media outlet Global Times, Chinese authorities are conducting a tax inspection of Taiwanese company Foxconn, the number one maker of Apple iPhones and one of the largest employers in the world. China's natural resources department has reportedly also made on-site investigations into land use by key Foxconn businesses in the provinces of Henan and Hubei.
Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, has iPhone factories in Guangdong and Henan, including the world’s largest in the city of Zhengzhou. The Global Times also reported that the company's subsidiaries in Guangdong and Jiangsu are where the tax audits took place.
The Spin
Anti-China narrative
Despite its continued anti-Western propaganda surrounding a potential military invasion from the US, many Chinese, including military officers, know that the US has shown no signs of declaring war on Beijing. The continued fevered pitch emanating from the PRC is a likely contributing factor to this Foxconn investigation.
Pro-China narrative
It's completely normal for one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world to undergo an audit. But nonetheless, Taiwan and its ruling party will use this news to enflame anti-China rhetoric ahead of the island's election. Even Terry Gou, who is far more pro-peace than his counterparts, is likely afraid of the US distancing itself from China-based factories and is using this to his advantage.
