Economic Observation: The financial crisis will accelerate the pace of cross-strait textile and garment industry cooperation
As the only professional clothing exhibition in mainland China with the title “Cross-Strait”, the 12th Cross-Strait Textile and Clothing Expo came to an end on the 21st. The unprecedented scale of participation by the Taiwanese industry in this China Maritime Expo is revealing the message: the international financial crisis will definitely accelerate the pace of cross-strait textile and apparel industry cooperation.
Since the second half of last year, affected by the financial crisis, the European and American consumer markets have shrunk sharply, and the development of the textile and garment industry on both sides of the Taiwan Strait has been affected to varying degrees.
Sun Ruizhe, vice president of the China Textile and Apparel Industry Association, told reporters: “Although our export tax rebate rate has been raised three times in a row since September last year, which led to a rebound in textile and apparel exports in the fourth quarter of last year, the international market has further slumped this year. The textile and apparel industry has yet to show obvious signs of recovery.”
Statistics show that from January to February, mainland China’s textile and apparel exports totaled US$22.451 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 14.78%. Among them, textile exports fell by 20.94%, and clothing exports fell by 14.7%. Sales profit margin dropped from 3.45% from January to November last year to 2.94% from January to February this year.
In Taiwan, on the east coast of the Taiwan Strait, the textile and apparel industry is also suffering in the face of the financial crisis. Hu Yongqin, leader of the Taiwan Textile Exhibition Group, said that from the end of last year to March this year, Taiwan’s textile exports, which are mainly exported, dropped significantly, with a decline of 40%-60%. Moreover, after the financial crisis, American and European merchants have demanded price cuts, and product profits have been significantly reduced.
After exports to European and American markets were blocked, the Taiwanese industry has placed high hopes on the mainland market. At the 12th China International Maritime Expo held recently, four major organizations, including the Taiwan Textile Development Association, Taiwan Knitting Industry Association, Taiwan Garment Industry Association, and Taiwan Sweater Knitting Industry Association, participated in the event. The booth size of the Taiwanese exhibiting group was also the largest in the past. Big: There are 60 Taiwan-funded Taiwanese companies, more than 300 booths, and more than 130 Taiwanese businessmen attending the conference.
“The realization of the ‘three direct links’ is an opportunity for the textile and garment industries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. After the financial crisis, the entire economy was not good, but the mainland expanded its economy through 4 trillion yuan of investment. Under this situation, Both sides of the Taiwan Strait must seize the opportunity and accelerate in-depth cooperation.” Hu Yongqin said.
Huang Weiji, secretary-general of the Taiwan Textile Development Association, believes that Taiwan’s textile and apparel exports last year were US$10.9 billion, but exports to the mainland only accounted for 37% of that, and there is still a lot of room. Of course, many Taiwanese companies have set up factories in the mainland, and the factories in the mainland are larger than those in Taiwan. Therefore, cross-strait cooperation is not just about market expansion.
“At the Paris Fashion Show in February this year, consumers began to look for alternatives to luxury brands, and creative and innovative products began to gain favor. The textile and clothing industries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait saw a significant increase in orders at this fashion show. . The focus of in-depth cross-strait cooperation should be on creative and innovative products.” Huang Weiji said.
At this China Maritime Expo, the Taiwan Textile Expo held a special “Taiwan Functional Textiles Promotion Conference”. Functional fabrics are the product of Taiwan’s technological innovation and development, and have also become the key to cross-strait docking at this China Maritime Expo. Heavy head. Brand companies from Taiwan such as Fanghe, Dongken, Hongkang and Ailusi have made preliminary contacts with more than 100 fabric dealers in Shishi.
The organizing committee also held a cross-strait textile machinery docking symposium. “In the context of the financial crisis, we must take some special orders to make money, and these special orders must rely on the improvement of equipment and the upgrading of technology. There is a lot of room for cooperation in this regard.” Cai Yuming, the person in charge of Taiwan Shida Sewing Equipment Company, told reporters.
In fact, the financial crisis has promoted in-depth cooperation between industries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Zhou Shaoxiong, chairman of Fujian Septwolves Industrial Co., Ltd., told reporters that since the end of last year, the company has introduced nearly 10 Taiwanese management and technical talents, and introduced some functional fabrics from Taiwan. In-depth cross-strait cooperation will definitely enhance the mutual competitiveness of both parties. .
Huang Weiji said: “The combined output of the textile and garment industries on both sides of the Taiwan Strait accounts for about 60% of the total output and plays a decisive role in the market. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait will cooperate in depth to speed up research and development, improve technological content, enhance innovation capabilities, and improve management efficiency. In addition to the challenges the financial crisis has brought us, there may also be more opportunities.”
Disclaimer:
Disclaimer: Some of the texts, pictures, audios, and videos of some articles published on this site are from the Internet and do not represent the views of this site. The copyrights belong to the original authors. If you find that the information reproduced on this website infringes upon your rights, please contact us and we will change or delete it as soon as possible.
AA