China’s Covid-19 policy upends car manufacturing as some automakers shut down operations

Shanghai – China’s strict zero Covid-19 regime The U.S. auto manufacturing sector is once again in turmoil, with at least three major automakers halting production due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Japan’s Honda Motor Company suspended operations in Wuhan, the epicenter of the virus, in early 2020 due to restrictions on movement introduced in the region. It has not been decided whether the factory will remain closed until Wednesday, a spokesman said on Tuesday.

Motorcycle maker Yamaha Motor Co., which has also partially halted production at its Chongqing motorcycle factory, reported 8,721 new Covid cases on Monday. Other Japanese automakers including Nissan Motor Co., Mazda Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. told Bloomberg that their operations in China have not yet been affected.

Toyota Motor Corp., the world’s number one automaker, is adjusting production at some of its factories in China due to multiple factors, spokeswoman Shino Yamada said, without giving details.

German car maker Volkswagen on Monday said parts shortages were the main factor in its decision to shut down its Chengdu joint venture with China FAW Group and two of its five production lines at its Changchun plant. mentioned. There is currently no planned date for reopening, and there are no plans to move to so-called closed-loop operations, the spokesperson said.

First used at the Beijing Winter Olympics as a way to isolate athletes and support staff from the wider population, closed-loop systems, or factory bubbles, businesses could be shut down amid penalties to eradicate the spread of Covid-19. It is a Chinese invention used to continue. They typically require workers to travel to and from their factories from on-site accommodation and strictly avoid contact with outsiders.

Several automakers, including Volkswagen and Tesla, used them earlier this year. Lockdown in Shanghai for months. But the system has recently faced challenges, with workers at the world’s largest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou pushing back limits, affecting factory production.

But public anger at China’s draconian approach to eradicating the epidemic has mounted in recent weeks, prompting authorities to mobilize to the capital Beijing and other major cities to prevent a repeat of the demonstrations that erupted over the weekend. Deploying a police presence.

The demonstration was sparked by At least 10 people have died in an apartment fire in Urumqi. The capital of the far-western Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, the city has been under lockdown for more than three months.Some citizens question whether Covid-19 controls are hampering rescue efforts, with protesters expressing opposition to broader Covid-19 policies.Bloomberg