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Chinese workers clashed with police at the world’s largest iPhone factory after demonstrations erupted at the assembly plant of 200,000 workers in central China, which has been subject to severe Covid-19 restrictions for weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

Videos circulating on workers’ chat groups showed scenes of unrest at the factory in the city of Zhengzhou, where Foxconn Technology Group assembles most of the world’s latest iPhone models.

Employees said the demonstrations began after they learned that their expected bonuses would be delayed.

The clashes come in the wake of an Apple announcement last month that its shipment of high-end iPhone models would be smaller than expected. The US tech giant said the drop in production was caused by disruptions from China’s strict “zero Covid” policy adopted to crush the outbreak.

Foxconn’s Zhengzhou facility had been expected to produce more than 80 percent of the latest iPhone 14 base models and 85 percent of the high-end Pro models.

Earlier this month, it had offered bonuses to recruits in an effort to restart production after tens of thousands of workers were quarantined or confined as part of China’s anti-coronavirus measures. But thousands of workers fled the facility over fears of contracting Covid-19 and rumors that infected people were being allowed to work so that Foxconn could meet its targets.

Foxconn admitted Wednesday that the clashes were related to payment concerns, adding that it plans discussions with employees and officials to resolve the crisis.

It denied that infected workers were allowed to work.

Even so, one recruit lamented that the company has done little to ameliorate the situation.

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