Apple's challenges in China, impact of China's zero COVID policy, struggles in fulfilling iMac orders, partnership with Foxconn, difficulties in shifting away from China
Apple's heavy reliance on Chinese manufacturing and its complex supply chain make it challenging for the company to cut ties with China and diversify its operations.
China's unique combination of manufacturing capabilities, government support, and infrastructure make it difficult for Apple to find a suitable alternative and replicate its success in other countries.
Deep dives
The Challenges of Apple's Relationship with China
Apple faced a dilemma when confronted with questions about human rights in China. While Apple wants to support people's rights, it relies heavily on Chinese manufacturing for its hardware, which generates 80% of its revenue. The growing tensions between China and the US, along with China's increased control, have made it challenging for Apple to operate in China while also dealing with demands from Beijing. As Apple considers diversifying its supply chain away from China, it realizes the complexity and difficulty of replicating China's labor force, institutional knowledge, and support from the Chinese government.
The Evolution of Apple's Supply Chain in China
Apple's reliance on China can be traced back to its partnership with Taiwanese businessman Terry Guo and his contract manufacturing company, Foxconn. With its ability to mass-produce Apple products and a labor force trained by Apple, China became an essential part of Apple's supply chain. The Chinese government's efforts to develop its economy and attract foreign investment played a significant role in fostering this partnership. Over the years, Apple's demand for Chinese labor, the government's support, and the expensive machinery Apple provided created a symbiotic relationship, making China central to Apple's success.
The Challenges of Diversifying Away from China
While there have been discussions of Apple moving its manufacturing to countries such as India and Vietnam, completely shifting away from China is not as simple as it seems. Both India and Vietnam lack the necessary infrastructure, size, and skilled labor force to match China's capabilities. China's proximity to these countries and its dominance in the electronics manufacturing industry pose additional challenges. Although Apple may gradually increase business in these countries, fully untangling its supply chain from China remains a complex task due to the years of investment, knowledge sharing, and resources involved.
This week, we’re revisiting an episode from earlier this year. Apple has spent two decades and billions of dollars building a massive supply chain for its products. At the centre of that operation is China. But as Beijing has become more authoritarian and relations with the US sour, it has become harder for Apple to do business there. The company has been signalling recently that it will diversify away from the country, but the FT’s Patrick McGee explains why cutting ties will be extremely difficult.