Over 2,000 Chinese workers have rioted in a leading Apple supplier's factory, leaving 40 injured.

The mass brawl at the Foxconn Technology plant caused the supplier to close business after police were called to break up fighting between factory employees.

Foxconn says several people were taken to hospital after the disturbance, as over 5,000 police were deployed to detain those deemed responsible.

Employing around 79,000 workers, the Foxconn plant in Taiyuan, central China, declined to specify whether the facility made Apple products, most notably the iPhone 5.

But the key supplier of products to Apple did admit the site supplied goods to many consumer electronics brands including Hewlett-Packard, suggesting progress on the making of iPhone 5s could be slowed as a result.

Apple can ill afford such distractions as global interest in the product exceeds the initial supply with many pre-orders now scheduled to be shipped in October.

The world's most valuable company, who have currently sold five million iPhone 5s in three days, have worked with Foxconn for the past 12 months to improve working environments and pay in China.

But riots in factories across the country are becoming increasingly common as employees fight back against poor employment conditions.