BAC GIANG, Vietnam—Electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn is set to build a new factory to produce tablets and computers in Vietnam, as Apple plans to widen its iPad and MacBook production lines outside of China.

The Vietnamese government says that it expects the facility to produce eight million units per year, primarily notebooks and tablets. Because Foxconn is a major assembly partner for Apple, it is possible some of this production could be for iPads and MacBooks.

Last November, Apple reportedly asked Foxconn to move some of its iPad and MacBook production out from China to Vietnam, in a bid to diversify production. The US-China trade war was a pressure point on the company, forcing it to come up with ways to minimize the impact of inter-continental political maneuvers.

The plant will be developed by Fukang Technology, a subsidiary set up by Foxconn for the project. Factory construction is likely to be completed before the end of 2021.

This is Foxconn's second foray in Vietnamese production, having already invested $1.5 billion in the country so far. The government expects Foxconn to increase its investment by $700 million in 2021 alone, including the recruitment of 10,000 local workers.

Foxconn is also said to be looking into another potential investment worth $1.3 billion in Thanh Hoa province.