Apple could be used as a 'bargaining chip' in the trade war, Chinese state media warns

CNBC ^ | December 7, 2018 | By Arjun Kharpal

[Swordmaker]

• Apple could be used as a 'bargaining chip' in the trade war, Chinese state media warns
• Apple has benefited from cheap labor and strong supply chain in China which has helped it boost profit and get to a $1 trillion valuation, the state-backed People's Daily said.
• The U.S. firm should share that money with Chinese citizens, the article urged.
• Apple could be the target of "anger and nationalist sentiment" amid the ongoing trade war.

Apple has benefited from cheap labor and a strong supply chain in China and needs to share more of its profit with the Chinese people or face "anger and nationalist sentiment" amid the ongoing trade war, an article in the state-backed People's Daily warned Tuesday. The article originally appeared in another state-backed publication, Global Times, last week.

The opinion piece highlights how Apple made $9.6 billion in revenues in China in the June quarter, which helped the U.S. giant to recently hit a $1 trillion valuation.

But the continuing trade war between the U.S. and China could leave Apple and other U.S. firms vulnerable as "bargaining chips" for Beijing, according to the article.

[Gahanna Bob]

Risky move by China. Phones can be manufactured anywhere.

[WKUHilltopper]

Apple is a Red Chinese operative.

[Dr. Sivana]

Brazil, Malaysia, India, Vietnam, Taiwan ... ready to step up to the plate? Foxconn, ready to put in SotA facilities in WI and other developed areas to avoid extortion?

[ConservativeMind]

Apple put itself in a position to be used.

[Swordmaker]

China threatens "the Chinese consumer's" retaliation against "Apple and other US producers" in the on going tariff war with the United States, and claims that Apple should share some of that $1 Trillion dollar valuation with the Chinese people who helped get it there. —PING!

Apple Threatened With Chinese Consumer Retaliation
In Tariff Trade Wars Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

[DIRTYSECRET]

I would say the Philippines. Those people love us. India? Screw them.

[catnipman]

suits me just fine ... new catch phrase: “Manufactured Anywhere But Peoples’ Republic of China” ...

[Last Dakotan]

Apple put itself in a position to be used.

You reap what you sow.

I have no sorrow for Apple.

[DiogenesLamp]

China threatening to use Apple as a hostage?

That reminds me of this:

[DIRTYSECRET]

How about the Norks? A real back stabbing.

[itsahoot]

Risky move by China. Phones can be manufactured anywhere.

Hardly. It would take years to move all of Apple's production and if they did cost would be substantial.

[Last Dakotan]

How about the Norks?

Why not? American trade for the past 30 years has been to build up the economies and manufacturing bases of our enemies.

[stars & stripes forever]

Bring APPLE back to AMERICA.

[Swordmaker]

Apple put itself in a position to be used.

Did you notice the "and other US producers" in that article? Apple is not the only US company that uses Chinese assemblers and manufacturers. Foxconn assembles approximately 60% of the world's consumer electronics for the majority of the worlds name brands, including the vast majority of American brands. The fact is that Apple was the last of the American computer companies to move its production to China. . . and the first to move some of it back.

Apple assembles iMacs in Elk Grove, California, and manufactures the Mac Pro in Austin, Texas. iPhones are also manufactured in Brazil and India.

Here is a partial list of 71 of the brands, out of over ~500, that FoxConn assembles electronics gear for (US companies in BOLD):

.

• Acer Inc. (Taiwan)
• Alcatel (France)
• Amazon (United States)
• Amoi (China)
• Apple Inc. (United States)
• Archos (France)
• ASRock (Taiwan)
• Asus (Taiwan)
• BBK (China)
• Barnes & Noble (United States)
• BenQ (South Korea)
• Blackberry (Canada)
• Cisco (United States)
• Coolpad (China)
• Dell Inc.(United States)
• EVGA Corporation (United States)
• Fujitsu (Japan)
• GE Thomson
• Google (United States)
• Griffin Technologies (United States)
• Gründig Mobile (Germany)
• Haier (China)
• Hewlett-Packard (United States)
• HiSense (China)
• Honor (China)
• HTC (Taiwan)
• Huawei (China)
• Intel (United States)
• IBM (United States)
• Kyocera Communications (Japan)
• Komko (China)
• LeEcco (China)
• Lenovo (China)
• Lenovo/Motorola Mobility (China)
• LG Lucky GoldStar (South Korea)
• Meizu (China)
• Microsoft (United States)
• Microsoft MSI (Taiwan)
• Motorola Communications (United States)
• NCR (United States)
• NEC Casio Communication (Japan)
• Netgear (United States)
• Nintendo (Japan)
• Nokia Oyj (Finland)
• Olivetti (Italy)
• OnePlus (China)
• Oppo (China)
• PackardBell (Netherlands)
• Panasonic (Japan)
• Philips (Netherlands)
• Pioneer Electronics (Japan)
• Samsung (South Korea)
• Sanyo (Japan)
• Sharp (Japan)
• Siemens (Germany)
• Smartisan (China)
• Sony (Japan)
• TCL Communication Technology (China)
• Technology Happy Life (China)
• Telefunken (Germany)
• Thomson (France)
• Toshiba (Japan)
• Vivo (China)
• VSun (China)
• Vizio (United States)
• Vodophone (UK)
• Wasam (China)
• Xiaomi (China)
• Zoostorm (New Zealand)
• ZTE (China)
• ZUK (China)

[Swordmaker]

Bring APPLE back to AMERICA.

Apple is already doing that. . . and has been since 2013 when they started manufacturing Mac Pros in Austin, Texas and assembling iMacs in Elk Grove, California.

[reg45]

It will speed delivery of Apple products if they don’t have to be processed through customs.

[the_daug]

FoxConn is a Taiwan company.

[Calvin Locke]

Perhaps if Apple stopped donating to the SPLC...

[VanDeKoik]

Pfffft! Hopefully it lops 500 billion off their value.

Cheap chicom labor + censorship collusion = to hell with them.