Taiwan's Foxconn faces China tax probe that's politically motivated - sources
By Yimou Lee and Ben Blanchard
TAIPEI (Reuters) -Foxconn, a major supplier of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL)'s iPhones, is facing a tax probe in China, two sources close to Foxconn confirmed on Monday, saying they believed it was disclosed by a state-backed paper for political reasons tied to Taiwan's upcoming elections.
On Sunday, China's state-backed Global Times tabloid said some of Foxconn's key subsidiaries in China were the subject of tax audits and that China's natural resources department had conducted on-site investigations on land use by Foxconn enterprises in Henan and Hubei provinces and elsewhere.
The two sources, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said several companies which they did not name had been audited by Chinese authorities in recent months, but they believed only Foxconn's probe was made public for political reasons.
The sources highlighted the audits come less than three months ahead of Taiwan's presidential election and amid Foxconn's drive to expand production outside China.
The government of Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, frequently accuses Beijing of seeking to exert pressure, whether military or economic, to sway the outcome of its elections to ensure an outcome favourable to China.
Foxconn's founder Terry Gou, who stepped down as company chief in 2019, is standing as an independent for president.
The Global Times, in an English language story late on Sunday, said by running, Gou might split the opposition vote, potentially ensuring a victory for current Vice President Lai Ching-te who is already leading in the polls.
Beijing detests Lai, whom it believes is a separatist. He says only Taiwan's people can decide their future, and Beijing has rebuffed his
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