By Gabby Chen

Japanese chip maker Renesas Electronics (瑞萨电子) suspended work at its Beijing plant since December 16 because of Omicron infections and will keep the facility shut for several days, according to Reuters.

The Renesas's Beijing factory has about 1,000 employees and produces semiconductors for home appliances, industrial equipment, and automobiles for export.

A Renesas Electronics spokesperson said that the reason for the stoppage is to ensure stable operations and protect the safety of employees. The company would make up for the lost output with existing stock.

"There won't be much impact for a stoppage that lasts only several days," Reuters quoted a spokesperson as saying.

Another Japannews report said that Renesas's Beijing factory has been short of labor force and it is difficult to maintain production, due to the recent surge of infection. The operations will be suspended for a few days at first, and then an extension of the shutdown will be considered if the infections continue to increase.