PSA says it will apply any extension to the current Lunar New Year holiday in China if asked, as uncertainty continues to swirl around repatriation plans for Western multinationals out of the country in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, which has now claimed 170 lives.
Companies in China are now reviewing their operational plans as the coronavirus health crisis continues to deepen. Ford and Renault have already said that they will keep plants shut until 10 February, a week beyond the end of the Chinese new year holidays.
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Reports circulating in France indicate a military Airbus A340 from France’s Estérel Transport Squadron – which also operates for the President and Ministers – has left Paris en route for Wuhan but repeated calls to the Ministries of Defence, Health and Foreign Affairs in Paris, who are coordinating the evacuation between them – have not confirmed any details.
Wuhan is at the epicentre of the coronavirus crisis and where several French companies including PSA, Renault, Faurecia, Plastic Omnium and Valeo have operations and to where Beijing has sent thousands of medical staff in a bid to combat the outbreak.
Information on Chinese State-controlled agencies and published by the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, says 7,711 confirmed cases of pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus have been reported in 31 provincial-level regions.
The Health Commission noted 1,370 patients remained in critical condition and 12,167 people were suspected of being infected with the virus as of the end of 29 Jan.
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By GlobalData“PSA is very pleased with the plan put in place by the French authorities to repatriate its expatriates and families,” a PSA spokesman told just-auto. “PSA representatives from human resources are in permanent contact with the French authorities. We cannot elaborate further.
“We are working with Dongfeng Motors, our Chinese partners in the joint venture [Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroen Automobile – DPCA], because the Wuhan operation is a JV, which is in contact with the Chinese authorities.
“We will apply what the Chinese authorities decide [in the event of any Chinese New Year holiday extension beyond 2 February]. They can ask Wuhan to restart and not restart, which we will respect.”
Despite the confusion surrounding whether or not an aircraft has departed from Paris or is already in Wuhan, extracts released by the Quai d’Orsay (French Foreign Ministry) Secretary of State, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, following his comments in France, indicate preparations are “very active” after a request from Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe to bring back expatriates from Wuhan.
“Wuhan is a city which has a significant relationship with French companies; PSA, Renault [among others]- there is also a large French student community,” said Lemoyne. “The crisis and support centre at the Quai d’Orsay is completely mobilised
“There is no one situation identical to another. There are also certain of our nationals who are married to Chinese men or women and have some of their family there. In any case, it [repatriation] is voluntary. But we, we want to make sure French people established there who want to come back can do that in the right conditions.
“It’s a complicated operation. Wuhan Airport is very busy bringing in supplies. But we are in the phase now which will allow us to undertake these first repatriations in an efficient way. The procedure starts at Wuhan Airport, where there will be a medical process, where our fellow citizens who wish to come back, will be examined, will have a certain numbers of tests to ensure their health.
“They will sign a document committing them to respect this confinement condition for 14 days, because it is equally important and above all to ensure public health in France.”
The Estérel squadron, with its five A340s based at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, is well versed in exfiltrating French nationals in times of crisis.
In 2011, it evacuated 545 citizens from Libya in Operation Harmattan and 1,024 of its compatriots from Japan the day after the explosion at the nuclear plant in Fukushima.
France has somewhere between 500 and 1,000 nationals in Wuhan and has now recorded five coronavirus cases on domestic territory.
Those arriving in France from Wuhan will be isolated for two weeks to monitor any signs of the virus being present.
That measure is also thought likely to be implemented by British authorities evacuating its citizens from the Chinese city, with the latter possibly being quarantined on a military base.
