Foxconn moves toward work resumption in Henan

The Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone in Zhengzhou, Henan province — where Foxconn's Apple iPhone assembly plant is located — ended seven days of static management on Wednesday to resume normal life and work.

Communities in low-risk areas and where all residents have tested negative since Nov 2 can return to normal, according to a notice released by the local COVID-19 prevention and control headquarters on Wednesday.

Residents can travel with a negative nucleic acid test result obtained within 24 hours and a green health code, but they should not leave the zone unless absolutely necessary.

Dine-in services have not restarted, but restaurants can offer takeout services, the notice said.

Schools and training institutions should continue to provide online teaching. Confined spaces such as gyms, pools, cinemas, KTVs and chess and card room are not open. Group gathering are suspended.

Businesses that work to guarantee basic life of people such as supermarkets, fresh markets, pharmacies and barber shops can resume operating, it said.

The Apple iPhone assembly plant, the world's largest, released a recruitment advertisement on Monday, saying that new employees are needed until Feb 15 next year. It said the wage would be 30 yuan ($4.10) per hour.

Many of the plant's workers had returned home because of the outbreak, which posed challenges to production. To encourage people to come back, it said those who resigned from Oct 10 to Nov 5 can be given a subsidy of 500 yuan if they are willing to join the company again.

A person from Foxconn who asked not to be named told The Paper on Monday that the outbreak in the compound is expected to be under control next week, and it aims to resume full production in the last 10 days of November.

Apple said in a news release on Sunday that COVID-19 restrictions have temporarily impacted the primary iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max assembly facility in Zhengzhou, which is currently operating at significantly reduced capacity.

It expects lower shipments than anticipated and customers will experience longer wait times to receive their new products.

"We are working closely with our supplier to return to normal production levels while ensuring the health and safety of every worker," Apple said.

The human resources departments in several regions in Henan began to help the plant recruit employees. Registration is currently open for people who want to work there, Chinese news outlet Cls.cn reported on Tuesday. Local authorities will provide transportation.

Zhengzhou reported 159 new locally transmitted confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, and 884 asymptomatic carriers.