Nokia will lay off most of its employees in mainland China and will close locations by the end of the year, leaving only after-sales services.

The Finnish telecommunications equipment manufacturer Nokia has announced its intention to make most of its workforce in mainland China redundant and to close locations in stages by the end of the year, according to a report by the South China Morning Post, picked up by Reuters and Agerpres.

This radical withdrawal comes after more than four decades of activity in the Chinese market, amid losing ground to local rivals. According to sources, employees in the mobile networks and infrastructure divisions will be gradually laid off, with most reductions expected to be completed by the end of the year. Nokia announced the restructuring plan during a videoconference from its headquarters in Helsinki, mentioning that only after-sales services will remain active in China, which represents a gradual exit from the market.

A company spokesperson emphasized that, given the constant decline in business from China, it is necessary to adjust operations to align with global ones. By the end of 2025, Nokia had approximately 7,200 employees in China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.