Panasonic is one of Wales' longest-standing inward investors

On Thursday, assembly officials met representatives from the electronics giant, which announced last week that it will stop making TVs and set-top boxes at the site at the end of the year.

Last week, the Japanese company - one of Wales' longest-serving inward investors - said the decision had been taken because of competition abroad.

During a statement in the assembly on Wednesday, Economic Development Minister Andrew Davies said the government would provide "support and assistance" to the firm.

He also said the Welsh Development Agency had already been in close contact with Panasonic.

Mr Davies said he would "take stock on how to offer support, and work together to consider how manufacturing in Wales can become more competitive."

Workers at the factory may be offered alternative jobs

However, opposition parties accused the meeting of coming too late.

Lib Dem AM Jenny Randerson, whose Cardiff Central constituency includes the Pentwyn plant, said she was surprised "that neither Andrew Davies nor his officials had been involved sooner".

It is believed that talks are under way to transfer production to the Czech Republic.

Panasonic assistant general manager Brendan Gore said there was increasing competition from all global manufacturers and sharply falling prices.

"Up to 600 jobs will be affected by the proposal but we can't say how many would result in redundancies yet," he said.

"It's too early to get into any specific figures."

Some 405 workers at the plant will be kept on to continue working on research and development, and the production of microwave oven and notebook computer operations.

In October 2000, the company cut 700 permanent and 600 temporary posts because of a production switch to Eastern Europe, blaming uncertainty over the UK's entry into the euro.

In 2003, 870 workers at the LG Philips Display plant in Newport lost their jobs - a move which followed other major cuts at Sony and Hitachi plants in recent years.