(Yicai Global) April 19 -- BASF and DuPont denied online rumors that said the two international chemical giants were among a number of foreign firms that have refused to restart production in Shanghai, a major Chinese industrial center under lockdown due to an outbreak of Covid-19.

BASF and DuPont both told Yicai Global yesterday that they support the local government’s guidance on businesses getting back to work.

The online rumors are false, BASF said, adding that the German firm’s Shanghai plants have been operating under a closed-loop system since the end of last month, though capacity has been cut. DuPont said the US firm is actively cooperating with the government on arrangements for resuming production. Its Shanghai factory has prepared all preliminary measures and is waiting for the authorities to allow workers to come back.

According to rumors circulating on Chinese social media yesterday, a number of foreign companies, including BASF and DuPont, have, for reasons that are unclear, turned their back on the Shanghai government’s request to resume production.

Shanghai issued guidelines for industrial firms on April 15 to support the restart of key manufacturing sectors. According to a white list China’s industry ministry released the next day, Shanghai will focus on getting 666 key firms in the integrated circuit, auto, equipment, and biomedical industries back to work.

US auto giant Tesla yesterday told Yicai Global that its Shanghai gigafactory is working hard to get ready to resume output in line with Covid-19 restrictions. Medtronic, the world’s largest medical devices maker, is also actively striving to resume operations, a company official informed Yicai Global, adding that it is waiting to receive the necessary certification.

Editor: Futura Costaglione