China heat wave hits Apple, Toyota suppliers as production halted

The scorching summer weather in China has hit Apple and Toyota suppliers as the government ordered most factories to suspend production until end of this week for planned power outages, the media reported on Tuesday.

China's Sichuan provincial government has told manufacturers, including suppliers to Apple and Toyota Motor, "to suspend production" keeping the intense heat wave in mind, reports Nikkei Asia.

The city of Chengdu houses the main production base of Foxconn, which assembles iPads and Apple Watches.

The report, citing sources, said that the plant has halted operations but the "impact is not significant at this time".

BOE Technology Group, that supplies display panels to Apple and other tech companies, has also shut the plant.

The government is "trying to secure electricity for daily use with demand rising sharply due to the scorching summer weather".

Power restrictions have also been imposed in Chongqing and the provinces of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, the report mentioned, raising more concerns over supply chain issues which hit the economy in the second quarter owing to Covid lockdowns.

Toyota has a plant in Chengdu that it operates through a joint venture with a Chinese company.

It has been instructed to suspend operations until August 20, the report mentioned.

China's National Meteorological Centre had issued an orange alert last week, the second highest, for high temperatures as an intense heat wave lingers in multiple regions of the country.

Parts of Sichuan, Chongqing, Shaanxi, Shandong, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Hubei, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Xinjiang were expected to experience high temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius.

Temperatures in parts of Shaanxi, Hubei, and Chongqing may surpass 40 degrees, it added.

The Center advised the public to avoid outdoor activities during high-temperature periods and suggested workers shorten the time exposed to high temperatures outdoors.