A medical worker collects swab sample from a citizen for nucleic acid testing at a mobile testing site in Xincheng District of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 2, 2022.(Photo: Xinhua)

As the latest COVID-19 resurgence is largely brought under control in Xi'an, capital city of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, local manufacturers have gradually resumed production, a sign of improving landscape in one of the country's major regional manufacturing and logistical hubs.

A source in Xi'an told the Global Times on Monday that business and enterprises deemed critical to the supply of daily goods have resumed normal operation from the weekend, with local manufacturing firms also restarting production.

"As far as I know, some manufacturers have received the administrative notice to resume production," the source said.

According to a screenshot of an administrative notice issued by the virus prevention and control office in Gaoling district, Xi'an, Shaanxi Heavy Duty Automobile Co, one of China's large commercial vehicle manufacturers, was allowed to resume production from Sunday.

Company staff workers are required to present a pass card to enter the company's production facility and must strictly comply with measures including wearing a mask, taking temperature testing and health code checks, in addition to providing a nucleic acid testing certificate, according to the notice.

Despite a lockdown in the city amid a new wave of COVID-19, during which cases surpassed 2,000 in total as of Sunday, plants belonging to major foreign chipmakers have continued their daily operations, though their production capacity has been reduced somewhat to cope with local strict anti-epidemic measures.

"Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, we have decided to temporarily adjust operations at our manufacturing facilities in Xi'an. This decision was made in accordance with our commitment to protecting the health and safety of our employees and partners, which remains our top priority. We will also take all necessary measures, including leveraging our global manufacturing network, to ensure that our customers are not affected," Samsung said in a statement on December 29.

Samsung told the Global Times on Monday that there is no update in regard to the situation in Xi'an.

There are two factories belonging to the South Korean conglomerate that fabricate 3D NAND high-end products, accounting for 42.3 percent of the company's flash memory chip (NAND) production capacity and 15.3 percent of global output, according to TrendForce.

Employees who normally commuted to work are now working from a dormitory located at the Xi'an plant, Business Korea reported on January 4, citing a company official. "Although the Xi'an plant has a smaller workforce than usual, it has not stopped its production lines."

Unlike when the Austin plant in the US stopped in early 2021, Samsung will not stop or cut production at the Xi'an plant. Semiconductor plants run 24 hours a day, said the report.

Xi'an reported 15 COVID-19 cases on Sunday, data from Shaanxi Provincial Health Commission revealed on Monday, lowest daily increase since December 20. 

According to Saturday's press conference, the latest flare-up in Xi'an is largely put under control, with daily caseloads falling and the number of high-risk neighborhoods declining. Community transmission has been largely stopped.

At present, among the 1,722 key supermarkets, convenience stores and fresh food stores in Xi'an, a total of 1,061 entities are operating normally, with 165 postal express outlets resuming work, official data showed.

Global Times