TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s top semiconductor makers said Tuesday (May 11) that new government measures to contain a coronavirus cluster in the country’s flagship airline would not affect their exports.

At least 35 people, China Airlines (CAL) including pilots, have been diagnosed with COVID, leading the government to recall crews from overseas to be placed in quarantine. The measure has reportedly seriously affected the scheduling of CAL flights.

However, two of the world’s largest chipmakers, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and United Microelectronics Corp. (UMC), said on Tuesday that their exports would not suffer from the airline’s problems, CNA reported.

According to TSMC, the mass quarantine would not have any visible impact on its business, while UMC said freight companies handling its exports foresee no problems.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc. (ASE), a major chip-testing and packaging company, said the virus measures' short-term impact would be negligible. Yageo Corporation, a maker of passive electronic components, said that operations are continuing as usual.

The latter's production mostly uses other means of transportation than airlines, while ASE can rely on other carriers, CNA reported. Both companies have based significant parts of their production in Taiwan, especially in Kaohsiung City.

The quarantine measures for CAL come as the global automotive industry faces a shortage of semiconductors, leading to Taiwanese manufacturers to pledge to step up their efforts. The country has recorded flourishing exports despite the pandemic.