Foxconn has dropped the defamation lawsuit it brought against two journalists from the China Business News. According to Forbes, the companies issued a joint statement apologizing to each other “for the disturbances brought to both of them by the lawsuit.”
Both Foxconn and the news paper stated that they will work together to help protect worker rights.
China Business News, which previously had stated that it would defend reporter Wang You and editor Weng Bao and their article that uncovered substandard workplace conditions in the Longhau factory that produces iPods for Apple Computer. The paper’s managing editor, Qin Shuo, now says that although it supported the journalists, the paper was compromising because of “weaknesses” in the story.
He stated “Even if we had won in court despite those weaknesses, it would not have been a true victory, nor would it have been fair to Foxconn.”
The original article prompted Apple to conduct its own investigation at the factory. Company investigators concluded that Foxconn had violated some of Apple’s guidelines in the code of conduct it requires subcontractors to follow.