Samsung Electronics has reduced production lines at its memory chip assembly plants in Xian after the northern Chinese city was locked down to curb COVID-19 cases. 

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the electronics giant said it is flexibly adjusting production lines in Xian amid the continuous spread of coronavirus infections there. 

Samsung began operating a NAND flash production plant in Xian in 2014, which is the firm’s only overseas memory semiconductor production base. It launched operations of a second plant in the Chinese city last year. The two plants are estimated to produce 40 percent of Samsung’s NAND flash memory chips. 

The electronics giant had operated at its normal production capacity in Xian by fully mobilizing personnel after going into an emergency operation system last Wednesday when Xian was put under lockdown. 

An official of the firm said adjusting production lines became inevitable after employees’ commuting efforts and bringing in materials saw disruptions due to the lockdown.