Gou made the comments, which have come under heavy criticism, at a the company's year end party at Taipai Zoo.

While congratulating a zookeeper on stage, media reported Gou as saying"Hon Hai has a workforce of over one million worldwide and as human beings are also animals, to manage one million animals gives me a headache."

A statement buy the company has now sought to qualify the comments and emphasis that Gou did not mean cause offense.

“Mr. Gou’s comments were directed at all humans and not at any specific group,” a statement quoted in the Financial Times reports. ”(H)e sincerely apologizes to anyone who might be offended by them. At no time did Mr. Gou seek to portray Foxconn employees in the negative context some media reports have suggested,” the statement continued.