Relevant departments shall conduct tax inspections and land use investigations on Foxconn's subsidiaries in accordance with the law

(Original title: [Exclusive] Relevant departments conducting tax inspections and land use investigations on Foxconn's subsidiaries in accordance with the law) On the 22nd, Global Times reporter Xing Xiaojing and Liu Xin learned exclusively from sources that the tax department has recently conducted tax inspections on Foxconn Group's key enterprises in Guangdong, Jiangsu, and other places in accordance with the law. The natural resources department has conducted on-site investigations on the land use of Foxconn's key enterprises in Henan, Hubei, and other places

(Original title: [Exclusive] Relevant departments conducting tax inspections and land use investigations on Foxconn's subsidiaries in accordance with the law)

On the 22nd, Global Times reporter Xing Xiaojing and Liu Xin learned exclusively from sources that the tax department has recently conducted tax inspections on Foxconn Group's key enterprises in Guangdong, Jiangsu, and other places in accordance with the law. The natural resources department has conducted on-site investigations on the land use of Foxconn's key enterprises in Henan, Hubei, and other places.

Tax Department's Tax Inspection Data Chart for Enterprises under Foxconn

On the 20th, Zhang Wensheng, Vice President of the Taiwan Research Institute of Xiamen University, stated in an interview with Global Times reporters that relevant departments conducting tax inspections and land use investigations on any enterprise suspected of engaging in illegal and irregular activities is a normal and lawful administration, reasonable and lawful. Enterprises under Foxconn have the obligation to actively cooperate with inspections and investigations. If there are indeed illegal and irregular behaviors, they should admit their mistakes, acknowledge the punishment, and accelerate rectification.

Zhang Wensheng stated that mainland China has always welcomed and supported Taiwanese businessmen to invest in mainland China, and protected the legitimate rights and interests of Taiwanese businessmen and enterprises in accordance with the law. In recent years, relevant departments have introduced a series of equal treatment policies and measures for Taiwanese nationals and enterprises, allowing them to better share the development opportunities of the new era in mainland China, and Taiwanese enterprises investing and building factories in mainland China generally benefit. As an indicator Taiwan-owned enterprise, Foxconn has made significant profits by becoming bigger and stronger in mainland China. Its subsidiary, Industrial Wealth Alliance, is also listed on the A-share main board and feeds back its parent company, Hon Hai Group. He emphasized that Taiwanese enterprises, including Foxconn, should not only share the development dividends and achieve significant development in mainland China, but also bear corresponding social responsibilities and play a positive role in promoting the peaceful development of cross-strait relations.

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Huawei Apple Launches a "Battle for People": Intermediaries Pull People to Huawei Factory at Foxconn's Gate

On the morning of September 22nd at 7 o'clock, there was a long queue at the official Apple store in Yitian Holiday Plaza, Shenzhen, just waiting for the store to open at 8 o'clock to snap up the new iPhone 15 series, which was also the first day of its offline release.

Shenzhen Yitian Holiday Plaza Apple Store Entrance Crowd of People Photography: An Yufei

The rush to buy the iPhone 15 series offline is reminiscent of the scene of queues during the pre-sale of Huawei Mate60 series phones. In September of this year, with the release of new phones from Huawei and Apple, a "Double Strong Competition" for high-end phones has already begun.

In order to penetrate the surface phenomenon of store queues and gain insight into the recruitment heat behind the mobile phone industry chain, the reporter visited Foxconn Technology Group's Longhua Recruitment and Training Center and other places on site. It was learned that the FIH department, which worked as a temporary worker at Longhua Foxconn and outsourced Huawei mobile phones, had a salary of up to 26 yuan/hour, significantly exceeding the iDPBG department, which made phones for Apple (21 yuan/hour); Huawei Southern Factory in Songshan Lake, Dongguan has recently started large-scale recruitment, with comprehensive salary and treatment far exceeding that of temporary workers at Foxconn

Whether the strong return of Huawei smartphones can impact Apple's position in the high-end market may be perceived from the job market.

The "Double Strong Competition" has sparked a hiring frenzy, grabbing people and rushing to the factory entrance

Young man, have you obtained your education certificate? Follow me to the Huawei factory in Dongguan. You can go home and get your education certificate, and we have a car to directly take you to the interview. "At the entrance of Foxconn Longhua Recruitment and Training Center, recruitment agent Mei Jie grabbed the reporter and said.

Photography at the entrance of Foxconn Longhua Recruitment and Training Center: Wu Xun

Although there are constantly loud speakers shouting at the entrance of Foxconn Longhua Recruitment and Training Center, "The sentry booth is the only recruitment entrance for formal workers. If you have any questions, please consult the red and yellow vest staff.

The intermediary that helps recruit employees for Huawei factory in Dongguan is standing at the entrance of Foxconn, which mainly contracts for Apple, and is vying for people, which also reflects the fierce competition between Huawei and Apple in the industry chain recruitment process.

According to Mei Jie, "Dongguan Songshan Lake Huawei" has only recently started large-scale recruitment. This time, it is expected to recruit 2000 to 3000 people, and it is to help Hua make mobile phones. The welfare benefits are even higher than Foxconn, and the comprehensive salary can reach 9000 yuan/month.

However, Mei Jie also said, "The admission rate of Huawei factories is very low, and the requirements are much higher than those of Foxconn. The education level should be at least high school, college or undergraduate, and it is better to have three years of experience in making mobile phones

The reporter searched some job search websites and found that Mei Jie's term "Dongguan Songshan Lake Huawei" or "Huawei Southern Factory" located in Songshan Lake, Dongguan. The basic requirements and salary are basically consistent with the information provided by Mei Jie. It is understood that Huawei's southern factory was officially put into operation in 2009, mainly used for the production of mobile 3C products and optical communication equipment.

On some social media platforms, reporters have sought confirmation from employees who recently joined Huawei's southern factory, and the recruitment information provided by Mei Jie has been basically confirmed. An employee told the reporter, "The food in the cafeteria here is very good, and you can also go to the European town of Songshan Lake in Dongguan on weekends

Standing at the entrance of Foxconn Longhua Recruitment and Training Center, there are not only intermediaries who help Huawei grab people, but also intermediaries who bring people into Foxconn. Recruitment agent Wang Ge told reporters, "Don't go to the booth to register. There are randomly assigned departments over there, and you can choose a department from me

According to Wang, the highest temporary hourly salary at Foxconn is in the 3W department (producing Apple cameras and other products that require dust proof clothing), which is 26 yuan/hour. A few days ago, Huawei's FIH department, which makes mobile phones, also reached 26 yuan/hour. But in recent days, there have been more people entering, and the wages have also been decreasing, with an average of 'one dollar a day'.

Don't think Foxconn's wages will always be so high. In March of this year, Foxconn's minimum wage was only 15 yuan per hour, and it didn't include food and housing. Because at that time, many people were looking for jobs, while Foxconn only hired around a hundred people. Recently, high wages have also hired many people, and some departments have stopped hiring. Last week, Foxconn directly hired more than 10000 people one day, "said Wang.

The reporter also saw at the entrance of Foxconn Longhua Recruitment and Training Center that there were occasional intermediaries leading a large bus of newly recruited employees into Foxconn. The influx of employees into Foxconn and Huawei's southern factories, one after another, means that Huawei and Apple's "double strong competition" has deeply affected the industry chain recruitment market.

On September 22nd, the reporter asked Wang Ge again about the recruitment situation of Longhua Foxconn. Wang Ge stated that the FIH department that makes smartphones for Huawei is no longer hiring, and the highest paid 3W department is also full, while the IDPBG department that makes iPhones is still hiring.

Huaqiang North "Ready" Parts Factory Fully Fires Up

Not only at the entrance of Foxconn, but also at Shenzhen Huaqiang North, the "China Electronics First Street", gunpowder has long been filled with smoke.

On September 19th, while the Mate60 series and iPhone15 series were not yet available offline, reporters saw in the Huaqiang North market that there were already phone cases and film products for sale for these two phones, and the relevant factories were "fully operating" to stock up.

Of course, we cannot guarantee 100% that the phone case we are launching now will definitely match the newly released iPhone 15 perfectly, but there must be a big difference. There are already relevant models on the industry chain, and the factories that supply us are made according to that proportion. It will definitely be too late to make the case until the new machine is officially released, "said a phone case seller in Huaqiangbei.

According to the seller's introduction above, if you want to buy iPhone 15 series phone cases wholesale, the minimum cost is two yuan, and the expensive one is 12 yuan. At present, he has already received a small batch of goods here, but if a large amount of wholesale is needed, he cannot supply it, mainly because the factory's production capacity has been "completely saturated".

Huaqiangbei Merchant has launched iPhone 15 series phone cases Photography: An Yufei

I have been ordering since June, and it took me a month or two to get the current batch of goods in hand. Their factory only has so many machines and manpower, some of which can only order 50000 units per order, and they can't make it at all. They usually meet the order needs of some major foreign brands first, and then it's our turn, "said the seller of the phone case mentioned above.

At a Huawei mobile phone authorized store in Huaqiangbei, sales personnel told reporters that the Huawei Mate60 series is currently out of stock and is expected to arrive in about one to two weeks, with prices consistent with those on the official website.

In the scalper market, Mate60 is mostly sold at a premium due to market shortages. A scalper from Huaqiangbei said, "My friend received a Mate60Pro for 8200 yuan a day ago, and now it costs 9000 yuan to sell. However, the exact price is uncertain. The premium for Huawei and Apple phones now depends on the specific situation after the official release. If it is very popular and no one can buy it, then the premium will definitely be higher to sell

Can Huawei's sales' counterattack 'shake Apple's position

Whether it is the recruitment enthusiasm of the industry chain or the advance preparation of mobile phone accessories by Huaqiang North merchants, they all reflect the "dual strong competition" pattern between Huawei and Apple in the high-end mobile phone market.

On the noon of August 29th, Huawei quietly launched the Mate60Pro through the "Pioneer Plan", marking the beginning of the "Double Strong Competition" and announcing Huawei's "comeback" in the high-end computer market. At 1am on September 13th, Apple brought the world's first iPhone 15Pro series equipped with a 3nm chip, which competed head-on with the Huawei Mate60 series.

In recent years, due to factors such as limited Huawei chips, Apple has become a dominant player in the high-end computer market, and there is also a saying in the industry that "Huawei falls, Apple is full". According to Counterpoint data, in the second quarter of 2023, Apple significantly led its peers in global smartphone revenue and operating profit, with revenue and profit shares reaching 45% and 85% respectively, setting the highest quarterly record.

A mobile phone company has taken over 80% of the profits from the global mobile phone market, reflecting Apple's strength. But Huawei is also quietly accumulating counterattack strength. According to IDC data, Huawei's mobile phone sales returned to the top five in the Chinese market in the second quarter of this year (tied with Xiaomi), with a market share of 13%.

In the field of high-end computers, Huawei has never fallen behind. According to IDC Data Online, in the first half of 2023, Apple's market share in China's mobile phone market above $600 (approximately RMB 4380) was 67%, still maintaining an absolute leading position. Huawei followed closely, with a market share of 15.6%. Together, the two accounted for 80% of China's high-end phone market.

Can Huawei's strong return shake Apple's position in the high-end computer industry? Dong Xinrui, a partner of Gaoliang Capital, believes that the iPhone 15 series has issues such as insufficient innovation, and overall, the response in the Chinese market is average. In the era of Apple Cook, where innovation is lacking, it is necessary to find a good market response strategy as soon as possible.

As Huawei returns and other domestic Android manufacturers strive to establish their own high-end product rhythm and brand image, Apple will face greater challenges in the high-end mobile phone market in China, "said Guo Tianxiang, senior analyst at IDC China, in an interview with reporters

At present, the cold winter of consumer electronics continues, and high-end phones, as one of the few tracks that can maintain warmth, are becoming a "battleground" for major mobile phone manufacturers. IDC data shows that although the overall smartphone market in China continues to show a sluggish state, the high-end market above $600 has been less affected. In the second quarter, the market share of high-end mobile phones worth over $600 in China reached 23.1%, an increase of 3.1 percentage points compared to the same period in 2022.

Zhang Xiaorong, President of the Deep Science and Technology Research Institute, believes that "some consumers have higher requirements for the quality and performance of technology products, and are also willing to pay higher prices for these high-quality products. This demand has been suppressed for nearly three years (due to factors such as Huawei's suppression), and will be released through the opportunity of Huawei and Apple's September showdown