Ohio has made no mention of negotiations with Foxconn, but Governor John Kasich made a hastily planned trip to Japan in June to discuss an undisclosed business venture, the same weekend governors from Pennsylvania and Wisconsin - two other states Foxconn is considering - were also present.
Latest on Foxconn: States battle with thousands of jobs on the line
Texas, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan are also being considered. Foxconn began examining operations in the United States in 2014 because of shipping costs, but has stressed the need for financial incentives to make U.S. factories work. The company's purchase of Japanese company Sharp has also played a factor. Gou said in January that Pennsylvania appeared to be a leader in luring the manufacturer.
In an article from Bloomberg, Gou said the company was focused on building factories in the U.S. heartland.
“Our investment in the U.S. will focus on these states because they are the heart of the country’s manufacturing sector,” Gou told investors, according to Bloomberg. “We are bringing the entire industrial chain back to the traditional manufacturing region of the U.S. That may include display making, semiconductor packaging and cloud-related technologies.”
The investment has been estimated to be near $7 billion. Gou said there is potential for tens of thousands of new jobs.
Wisconsin is viewed as a favorite because of its governor, Scott Walker, and his close relationship with President Donald Trump. House Speaker Paul Ryan is also from Wisconsin and the state has made a major play for the company and been one of the few to publicly acknowledge incentives it would give if Foxconn were to open there for business.
Michigan recently passed a bill rewarding companies that relocate with 3,000 or more jobs and pay a wage average for the area.
No details of Ohio’s package have been made available, but the AP listed positives for each state, writing Ohio has a strengthening business economy, as well as recent cuts to corporate taxes and regulation streamlining. Ohio also has an extensive network of universities for training high-skilled workers.
Kasich was also involved in helping Chinese autoglass manufacturer Fuyao to locate its U.S. plant at the site of the former General Motors truck plant. Ohio's location is also a major positive being close to the U.S. population center, given logistics, shipping costs; a trait shared by other competing states Indiana and Illinois.
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