A growing number of Asian manufacturers producing items ranging from memory chips to machine tools are moving to shift production from China to other factories in the region in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump's imposition of tariffs on Chinese imports.

Several companies, including SK Hynix of South Korea and Mitsubishi Electric, Toshiba Machine Co. and Komatsu of Japan, have been plotting production moves since July, when the first tariffs hit, and the shifts are now underway, company representatives and others with knowledge of the plans said. Others, such as Taiwanese computer-maker Compal Electronics and South Korea's LG Electronics, are making contingency plans in case the trade war continues or worsens.

The company representatives and other sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.