More than 80 percent of China’s state-owned enterprise (SOE) manufacturers directly under central government have resumed production, serving as an anchor to ensure stable economic performance amid the novel coronavirus epidemic, according to the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC).

Workers at Shenyang Rubber Research & Design Institute Co., Ltd. under the China National Chemical Corporation in northeast China’s Liaoning province produce medical protective clothing on Feb. 12. (Photo by Yang Qing/Xinhua News Agency)

Reports confirm that SOEs have made positive progress in production of medical supplies. By increasing production or changing production lines, several SOEs have speeded up production of medical supplies, including masks and full protective suits, to ensure enough supplies for epidemic control work.

After switching to production of medical protective clothing, Shenyang Rubber Research & Design Institute Co., Ltd. under the China National Chemical Corporation can now deliver 60 suits per day despite its extremely strict production standards.

CTA High-Tech Textiles Co., Ltd. affiliated with the China Textile Academy has ensured 24-hour production of shell fabric for single-use medical protective clothing, with daily output of about 10,000 protective suits.

A subsidiary of China North Chemical Research Academy Group Co., Ltd. has increased its daily output of masks by 2.5 times, while the daily output of ethanol for disinfection from a subsidiary of China National Cereals, Oils & Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO), the country’s largest oil and food producer, has been increased to 1,000 tons from 700 tons.

SASAC spokesperson Zhao Shitang said 96.8 percent of petrochemical enterprises and 83 percent of power grids and generation enterprises have resumed work, guaranteeing stable oil and power supplies.

Meanwhile, SOEs have also adjusted their production capability to ensure stable supplies of daily necessities. So far, COFCO has delivered over 200 tons of rice, about 50 tons of flour and noodles, and 300 tons of edible oil daily to the central Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

SOEs have also managed to guarantee international industrial capacity cooperation. A subsidiary of China National Chemical Engineering Group Co., Ltd. exports its ammonium sulfate to over 10 countries. To ensure smooth exports amid the epidemic, the company has continued production and guaranteed logistics, selling 38,212 tons of ammonium sulfate globally in January.