(Yicai Global) May 9 -- Several foreign companies, including American chemicals manufacturer Huntsman, pharmaceutical giant Merck, and German automation firm Siemens intend to keep investing in China, expecting the Covid-19 pandemic to pass.

The challenges brought by the Covid-19 outbreaks are temporary, Pan Lumin, president of Huntsman's polyurethane division in the Asia-Pacific, said to Yicai Global. The firm is ready to improve its production capacity to normal, he added. The Texas-headquartered company has its Asia-Pacific HQ and its Asia-Pacific research and development center in Shanghai.

Shanghai, which has for long been at the forefront of the mainland's opening up to the world, has been implementing strict zero-Covid isolation restrictions since late March.

The first batch of employees, mainly in the R&D department, have returned to their workplaces after Huntsman launched a remote work model in March amid the pandemic, according to Pan.

Next, Huntsman intends to introduce more sustainable PU solutions in China to advance the upgrading of automotive and building materials industries, he added.

The ongoing Covid-19 outbreaks in Shanghai have not affected Merck China's development direction, said Allan Gabor, president of the pharma giant's Chinese arm. Merck's factory in Shanghai's Jinqiao is maintaining operations as much as possible. New expansion plans are slightly delayed, but will return into a steady mode after the pandemic, he added.

Another medical firm joined the group of those who believe in recovery. Siemens Healthineers has always been confident in the Chinese market, and the Covid-19 pandemic will not affect its determination to further strengthen its localization strategy, Wang Hao, president of the German company's Chinese unit, said to Yicai Global.

Siemens Healthineers is one of the first firms on the "white list" of companies that could resume work and production in Shanghai amid the lockdown. The medical device arm of the Erlangen-based enterprise is gradually recovering its production capacity, according to Wang.

Shanghai's Covid-19 prevention and control efforts are at a critical point, said Xiao Song, chairman of Siemens China. The eastern city is an important base for Siemens’ business development in China and also the location of its first permanent office in the Asian country. Siemens, which has witnessed and participated in the city's rapid development, will continue to fulfill its social responsibilities, he added.

Shanghai is key for many foreign firms in China. The city had almost 850 regional HQs of multinational companies and more than 510 foreign-funded R&D centers as of March 31, according to the municipal stats bureau. In the first quarter, foreign direct investment in Shanghai climbed almost 18 percent to USD6.6 billion from a year earlier.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi