The main factor behind the suicides is widely believed to have been excessive overtime hours, with many workers allegedly exceeding the limit of 36 hours of overtime per month mandated by the government.

In late July, 250 Foxconn staff in India became ill, forcing it to close a factory temporarily.

 The problems have caused Foxconn, which has said it is investigating the deaths, to rethink a few of its own investments; it has postponed $4.5bn worth of investment into Taiwan.