With the global launch of Apple's iPhone 17 series, China's advanced manufacturing ecosystem is once again playing a key role in bringing the company's latest products to the global market.
Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant in central China's Henan Province is a key site for this effort. The plant is one of the world's largest iPhone assembly bases and reflects China's vast capacity in the electronics manufacturing industry, according to Xinhua.
The plant is operating at full capacity, ramping up its recruitment process to meet global demand for Apple's smartphones. Every morning, long lines of job seekers line up outside the factory's recruitment center, reflecting the high demand for workers to produce the latest iPhones.
"Since late July, the recruitment center has been receiving thousands of job seekers every day, and the bustling atmosphere is expected to continue until the end of September," said Fang Siming, assistant vice president of human resources at Foxconn's Zhengzhou comprehensive bonded zone.
As the main production center for Apple's high-end iPhone models, Foxconn's Zhengzhou plant has become a crucial driver for meeting international demand. During peak iPhone production, the Foxconn plant typically hires tens of thousands of workers, many of whom play short-term roles in assembly, quality inspection, and packaging, leveraging China's abundant human resources and advanced infrastructure.
"A three-month job at Foxconn is expected to generate an income of over 40,000 yuan (1 yuan = Rp2,310) or about 5,600 U.S. dollars (1 U.S. dollar = Rp16,457) for my wife and me, which is much higher than the average income in Henan," Zhao Yanhui, a Henan resident who recently landed his first job at a Foxconn factory, told Xinhua.
Zhao also expressed hope that the company's talent training program would help him secure long-term opportunities at the factory.
"With a permanent population of nearly 100 million, Henan Province provides Foxconn with abundant human resources," Fang said, adding that the company has benefited from strong local government support for over a decade in terms of factory construction, labor recruitment, and efficient logistics.
This long-term partnership has helped strengthen Apple's global supply chain at optimal scale and speed. Analysts added that Zhengzhou's strategic location and advanced logistics network further enhance this efficiency.
From Zhengzhou, newly assembled iPhones are shipped worldwide via an integrated "air-rail-road" transportation system. As a major transportation hub in central China, the city operates eight intercontinental air cargo routes, connecting more than 100 cities in 24 countries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.
Inside Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory, scale and innovation are evident at every turn. Often described as a "city within a city," the factory complex includes more than 10 community areas for workers and a cafeteria capable of serving 12,000 people at a time, powered by an AI-powered automated kitchen. This combination of efficiency and worker well-being helps maintain a stable, high-output work environment to meet tight production schedules.
"When Foxconn's production lines are bustling with activity, the focus is clear," said Sun Xuemin, director of the Enterprise Research Center at Zhengzhou University. "This massive, coordinated effort in China is the engine that turns innovation into tangible products, ready for consumers around the world."
