Most electronics firms are back at work to revive economy

About 95 percent of China’s information technology firms are back at work, especially large-scale firms, an official said on Monday.

China will speed up 5G, data center and industrial Internet construction to boost innovation while help the economy rebound, said Xin Guobin, vice minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Industry giants such as LCD panel makers BOE and CSOT, chip giant SMIC and contract electronics manufacturer Foxconn have all resumed production.

The companies, especially those large-scale firms, have pushed their suppliers and partners to resume operation with their own resumption of work, including many small and medium-sized enterprises, Xin told a broadcast conference on fighting the COVID-19 outbreak.

IT and electronics industries contribute major shares of China's total export as China is the world’s top manufacturing base for smartphones, TVs and other electronic devices.

But Chinese firms still face challenges in the supply chain, logistics, labor transport and uncertain overseas demand because of COVID-19, the ministry said. 

China has encouraged firms to develop high-tech and information infrastructure construction, covering 5G and data centers. 

Meanwhile, China has offered 1,700 ventilators to overseas markets since March 19, with “booming International orders every day,” the ministry said during the conference.

Ventilators are vital to save the lives of critical COVID-19 patients.