Chinese Apple manufacturer Foxconn 'plans to open factories in US'

Foxconn, tech giant Apple's main manufacturing plant in China, is reportedly planning to open factories in the United States. With an 800,000 strong workforce largely based in mainland China, Foxconn is one of the businesses that has profited from the decline of western manufacturing.

According to the Guardian, the firm is now apparently planning to reverse the labour drain by opening American factories. The company declined to comment on its plans, but chairman Terry Gou revealed this week he was planning to invite dozens of American engineers to his factories in China to learn about manufacturing, the paper said.

According to the paper, Foxconn will have to adapt its working conditions to operate in the US market. Worker suicides, industrial accidents and riots have dogged its mainland China plants, which were recently discovered to be employing workers as young as 14.

The scandals have proved a source of embarrassment for its largest client.