BEIJING (Reuters). China must stabilize its supply chains amid COVID-19 pandemics. The official Xinhua news agency reported that Vice Premier Liu He said this.

China is experiencing a growing number of COVID-19 flare ups that are disrupting its logistics chain. They clog ports and highways, leaving workers stranded and closing countless factories. Already, disruptions are affecting global supply chain networks.

Monday’s data revealed a marked slowdown in economic activity for March. And analysts believe that April could be worse, as tighter lockdowns continue to drag on.

Authorities need to ensure drivers get traffic permits in all parts of the country. On Monday, Xinhua stated that transport shouldn’t be curtailed because drivers must wait for COVID-19 tests results.

Liu stated that “we need to solve outstanding problems in key areas one by one,” adding that Liu would also say that the government would establish a “whitelist” of major industrial firms who require assistance recovering from disruptions.

Late Friday, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced that it was working with 666 companies to produce semiconductors and cars, as well as medical sectors in Shanghai.