Trump pushes Foxconn to clarify US plans

US President Donald Trump intervened after Foxconn announced the development of its new plant in Wisconsin.

Foxconn said it plans to establish a high-tech research center on the site, previously planned for the manufacture of LCD panels.

This news was seen as a setback for Trump, who made the revival of the manufacturing sector a priority.

Foxconn, however, announced Friday that it was considering building a plant.

This decision follows "productive discussions with the White House and society" and a "personal conversation" between Foxconn President and President Terry Gou, he said.

Mr. Trump has repeatedly touted Foxconn's investment in Wisconsin, a politically important state, as evidence of the effectiveness of its economic policy.

He celebrated this statement on Twitter as "good news".

Plans for a plant producing smaller screens – reported last summer – have already marked a retreat from the initial announcement.

Friday, Foxconn did not detail the projects of the plant nor the type of workers she intended to hire.

"This campus will be both a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and a hub of high-tech innovation for the region," he said.

Foxconn had said earlier this week that she remained committed to investing in Wisconsin, famous for its potential to create 13,000 jobs.

She indicated that she was changing her focus due to "new realities" in the global market environment and presented plans for the construction of a packaging plant. a high-precision molding plant and an badembly plant, among other projects.

Controversial

The project supported by the White House is controversial because of the billions of incentive measures approved for the company.

Even with optimistic projections, an badysis by lawmakers from the states of Wisconsin revealed that it would take the state more than 25 years to reach an agreement.

The receipt of incentives depends on the investment and hiring of the company, which has not yet achieved its objectives.

Local officials said on Friday that they were expecting Foxconn to begin work on the manufacturing plant in the next 18 months.