Foxconn apologizes to rioters, Apple is on the scene

Hundreds of workers from the Zhengzhou rioted on Wednesday, protesting about food and conditions in the COVID lockdown measures, and also pay. Despite Foxconn having previously promised bonuses, rioters claimed that the company had revised contracts to prevent workers being eligible.

According to BBC News, the company has now issued a statement saying that a "technical error occurred during the onboarding process." Foxconn said that the pay its new recruits would get is now "the same as agreed [in the] official recruitment posters."

Foxconn also said that it was in communication with the affected employees, and was doing what it could "to actively solve the concerns and reasonable demands of employees."

Separately, one worker told BBC News that since the company's apology statement, he had received $1,120, and was to get a further $280. The worker also said that the protests had now ended.

However, at the same time, Chinese authorities again ordered the city of Zhengzhou to go into lockdown. People will require a negative COVID test before they can leave the area.

And, Apple has a response team on site. It's not clear exactly when they arrived, but Apple confirmed that they were there to help deal with the problem.

"We are reviewing the situation and working closely with Foxconn to ensure their employees' concerns are addressed," Apple reportedly has said.

It was following a previous lockdown that Foxconn issued a warning about its revenue growth, and Apple made a rare statement about delays in iPhone 14 Pro production.