Apple Asks Foxconn to Move Some MacBook and iPad Production From China to Vietnam

Apple has asked Foxconn to move some of its iPad and MacBook assembly from China to Vietnam in an effort to minimize the impact of ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, according to sources cited by Reuters.

Apple iPhone Production waiting to start in Vietnam

Foxconn is building assembly lines for Apple's iPad tablet and MacBook laptop at its plant in Vietnam's northeastern Bac Giang province, to come online in the first half of 2021, the person said, declining to be identified as the plan was private.

The lines will also take some production from China, the person said, without elaborating how much production would shift.

"The move was requested by Apple," the person said. "It wants to diversify production following the trade war."

Apple has been seeking to add geographic diversity to its supply chain for some time now, and Apple suppliers already assemble the company's AirPods and AirPods Pro in Vietnam.

Apple is also reportedly seeking to expand iPhone production in Vietnam, although a report in August suggested the company was holding off until workers' conditions improve at supplier Luxshare-ICT's facilities.

Major Apple manufacturing contractors Foxconn, Pegatron, and Compal Electronics are all said to be expanding production in Vietnam as companies seek to reduce reliance on China and diversify supply chains to prevent concentration risks.

Vietnam is emerging as a major manufacturing and assembly hub for large technology companies, and Samsung manufactures as many as half of its smartphones there already.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Top Rated Comments

Maximara Avatar
40 months ago
I got a better idea. How about moving the assembly to the United States and the upper mangers all take a slight pay cut to pay for it? :p
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Guacamole Avatar
40 months ago
all companies should move out from china
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Dwalls90 Avatar
40 months ago

I got a better idea. How about moving the assembly to the United States and the upper mangers all take a slight pay cut to pay for it? :p
That’s not how capitalism works.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
centauratlas Avatar
40 months ago
Geographic diversity makes sense both from a shareholder and purchaser perspective. Dependence on factories in one single location is the height of stupidity and shortsightedness.


“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” -MLK
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
R.Patrick Avatar
40 months ago
Hmm.... What about moving the assembly to the US?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fenderbass146 Avatar
40 months ago

Why?
Because they are an authoritarian country who has millions of people in concentration camps, is trying to kill democracy in Hong Kong and Taiwan, continues to be aggressive militarily in South China Sea, has dangerous viruses coming out of their country regularly including covid. The government of China is trash and until they shape up business should cut ties
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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