Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer and a major Apple Inc supplier, said on Wednesday that it was in preliminary discussions to expand its operations in the United States.

'While the scope of the potential investment has not been determined, we will announce the details of any plans following the completion of direct discussions between our leadership and the relevant U.S. officials,' it said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Masayoshi Son of Japan's SoftBank Group Corp said he would invest $50 billion in the United States and create 50,000 new jobs, a move U.S. President-elect Donald Trump claimed was a direct result of his election win.

Workers are seen inside a Foxconn factory in the township of Longhua in the southern Guangdong province. Foxconn, the world's largest contract electronics manufacturer and a major Apple Inc supplier, said on Wednesday that it was in preliminary discussions to expand its operations in the United States.

Foxconn's brief statement followed a report by broadcaster CNBC on Wednesday showing a snapshot of a page held by Son outlining the investment carrying the logos of SoftBank and Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd.

WOULD US MANUFACTURING BOOST PRICES? Industry experts warn that bringing manufacturing back to the United States could come at a cost for shoppers, who might end up paying more than double for a handset, reported. Making certain items here would mean no longer relying on lower labor costs in countries such as Mexico, China and Vietnam. As a result, production costs would increase - as would retail prices. An evaluation by business website Marketplace two years ago suggested that it could cost up to $2,000 for an iPhone if production was brought to the US. According to a report in the Nikkei Asia Review last week, key Apple assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry, also known as Foxconn Technology Group, has been studying the possibility of moving iPhone production to the U.S. 'Making iPhones in the U.S. means the cost will more than double,' the source said. An evaluation by business website Marketplace two years ago suggested that it could cost up to $2,000 for an iPhone if production was brought to the US. Carl Howe, Vice President of data sciences at the Yankee Group told Marketplace: 'Labor costs here are somewhere in the vicinity of two to three times what they're going to be in China.' Advertisement

The page also showed an additional $7 billion investment and creation of a further 50,000 jobs.

Trump has campaigned to bring manufacturing and jobs back to the U.S.

Much of the global tech supply chain involves Taiwanese companies such as Foxconn, whose biggest operations are in China churning out the majority of Apple's iPhones.

Foxconn in its statement did not specify who its executives were in discussions with but said that any 'plans would be made based on mutually-agreed terms.'

SoftBank's Son and Foxconn founder Terry Gou are considered close and have several business ventures together, including launching humanoid Pepper - which is manufactured by Foxconn - into several markets, and together investing in India.