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Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, global media attention has focused on Wuhan.

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Knowing the region and its history helps us understand the effects of the coronavirus on the companies located there, and their business partners around the world. And it is important to illustrate the epidemic on a human scale by examining the impact on the people of Wuhan.
What do we know about Wuhan? How important is the city to China? To the world?
Which companies in the electronics industry are in the region? How are these companies coping?
And, of course, how does the fallout in Wuhan affect the global supply chain?
We have been working in close coordination with colleagues at EE Times China and ESM China, our sister publications.
We offer what we know now, and we will provide continuous coverage.
The key piece of this Special Project is a profile of Wuhan. It’s written by George Leopold, a science and technology writer and EE Times’ frequent contributor, in collaboration with Junko Yoshida, EE Times‘ chief international correspondent. The piece covers Wuhan’s geography, its history, and the trajectory of the city over the last few decades in the electronics industry: The key question we ask is, how did Wuhan become such a strategic city in China?
ESM China’s Clover Lee offers a “Who’s who in Wuhan” — a list of high-tech companies in Wuhan.
Barb Jorgensen, editor-in-chief of supply chain publication EPSNews, guides readers on to how best to navigate the supply chain crisis as the epidemic continues.
Leopold also explores how the virus outbreak has exposed vulnerabilities in the global network of technology distribution, and what might be done to mitigate the risks.
Brian Santo, editor-in-chief of EE Times, relates the impact of the coronavirus on events in the electronics industry, many of them either delayed or cancelled.
EE Times’ Yoshida, a frequent visitor to China, provides her impressions on people’s lives under the virtual lockdown.
A team of global editors in locales from the U.K. to France and Italy also contributed stories on how the world is reacting to the outbreak of coronavirus.
Wuhan Profile: Besieged City Fights its Next Battle
By George Leopold and Junko Yoshida
The beleaguered Chinese manufacturing hub faces a virus-borne existential crisis.
Coronavirus Exposes West’s Vulnerability
By George Leopold
How will western economies respond to mitigate the risks inherent on relying on a single manufacturing source?
By Clover Lee
The lockdown in Wuhan is affecting a whole host of local high-tech companies. They range from manufacturers of display panels, memory, fiber optics, auto parts to suppliers of components, bio-medicine and medical devices. Here’s who’s who.
Coronavirus Tests Tech’s Supply Chain Resilience
By Barbara Jorgensen
Standing still is not an option for an industry renowned for innovation. Companies can still take steps to mitigate the impact of the outbreak
MWC 2020: LG Pulls Out, Other Executives Quarantined over Coronavirus
By Sally Ward-Foxton
LG has become the first major exhibitor to officially pull out of Mobile World Congress due to fears for the health of its employees in the wake of the Coronavirus.
Events Across SE Asia Cancelled Due to China Virus Outbreak
By Brian Santo
As concerns about the latest coronavirus escalate, events are getting delayed or canceled, at no small cost. Semi has put off Semicon Korea and Semicon China.
By Junko Yoshida
It’s not just in Wuhan. Also in Shenzhen, all shops and restaurants are closed except some supermarkets and pharmacies.
China Maintains Chip Output in Wake of Virus Outbreak
By Barbara Jorgensen
It’s hard to square the “all is well” stance in China’s chip sector with reports from other markets. The outbreak will create a significant near-term reduction in LCD production in China, says IHS Markit.
Business Is Not Halted in China Despite Coronavirus
By Anne-Françoise Pelé
As coronavirus continues to spread in China and beyond, economists are warning that the outbreak could significantly hit the global economy. Uncertainties prevail, but “business is not halted,” a French entrepreneur told EE Times Europe.
Supply Chain Poised for Coronavirus Disruption
By Barbara Jorgensen
Crucial to the electronics industry in this crisis is the trifecta of a US/China trade war, Brexit in Europe and supply-chain uncertainties triggered by the coronavirus.