Covid-19: Why this Foxconn announcement is the biggest proof that China is opening up – Times of India

Foxconn, the company that assembles Apple’s iPhones, has announced easing of Covid-19 restrictions at its Zhengzhou factory in central China. The Covid-19 restrictions led thousands of workers to protest and quit, which eventually slowed the production at the iPhone city.
Multiple reports cited a statement on one of its official WeChat as saying that the “closed loop” system at the Zhengzhou facility will end. The system forced factory workers to stay at their dormitories to prevent the spread of coronavirus. The end of restrictions come almost a week after China began to ease Covid-19 curbs.

No free food at Foxconn
The Foxconn announcement reportedly mentions that it will not provide free meals to workers because factory cafeterias will reopen. The meal expenses will be deducted from employees’ wages as usual.
Foxconn will also provide a subsidy of CNY 15 per day from December 16 to December 31 to those who work at the factories. The workers who are infected and are in quarantine in their quarters will still get free meals.
Protest at Foxconn iPhone factory
In October, thousands of workers climbed fences and walked out from the factory after complaining about unsafe working conditions and virus outbreak. At that time, Foxconn reportedly offered high wages to workers to retain them.
However, a few days later, protests erupted at the factory and workers complained that Foxconn had changed the terms of wages offered to attract them to the factory. The Taiwan-based company then apologised and has been trying to rebuild its workforce.
China is witnessing an increase in Covid cases yet the government has lifted various harsh “zero-COVID” restrictions. The ease in restrictions means people can now travel on public transport and may not take frequent Covid-19 tests. Those who test positive for the virus isolate at home if they have only mild or no symptoms.