The billionaire founder of Apple’s largest supplier has asked the US company to move part of its sprawling production chain from China to neighbouring Taiwan.

Apple and computing giant Dell will join a Foxconn-led consortium bidding for Toshiba’s highly-prized chip unit, the head of the world’s largest contract electronics manufacturer has said.

APPLE manufacturer Foxconn has reportedly urged its workers in southern China to promise in writing not to kill themselves as it battles to stem a spate of factory suicides.