Honda Motor has now said production at its three Chinese vehicle plants supplying the domestic market would be halted at least until Monday after they were shut by a labour dispute at a key parts facility.

A fourth factory, which normally builds 120 Jazz subcompacts a day for export, will work at a reduced pace of 50 units on 31 May, using parts from inventory, a spokeswoman in Tokyo told Reuters.

She added that negotiations with the workforce were still ongoing, and that there was no decision yet on when production could restart.