Jinjiang starts foreign trade “breakout war”

Since this spring, the continuous spread of epidemic overseas has impacted Jinjiang foreign trade companies in many aspects, such as receiving orders, performing orders, and delivering goods. While Jinjiang companies have taken many measures to respond to it, such as cross-border e-commerce, livestream selling, and digital trade platform. This foreign trade "breakout war" firmly stabilizes foreign trade funds. With the global control of COVID-19, the number of overseas orders has gradually recovered in Jinjiang.

Chendai, one of the towns in Jinjiang, is a renowned shoes-making base in China. In DAEAST-ASIA (Fujian) Sports Product Co., Ltd, more than 3000 workers in 18 assembly lines are well organized to produce shoes for a variety of brands all over the world.“For us, the number of European orders has recovered since this spring, but the orders from America are still uncertain”, said Fang Haiyan, vice sales director of DAEAST-ASIA. She also mentioned that there was an explosive growth in demand for their Belgian nurse shoes during the epidemic outbreak, so far the orders have increased by 50%. At present, DAEAST-ASIA has enough orders to perform till August.

“Our swimwear orders have been much impacted this year. While opportunity lies in threats. We have some new gains in home wear and fashion masks”, said Hong Jianku, president of Qicaihu Garments Weaving Co., Ltd. According to Hong, the factory has received orders for tens of millions of civilian fashion masks since the epidemic outbreak. Besides, there has been a significant increase in demand for indoor sports products such as yoga apparel.

By visiting some enterprises, the journalist got the information that the orders of some foreign trade enterprises like Lili Toys Co. Ltd, Kalee Children’s Products Co., Ltd, and Carnival Baby Products Co., Ltd have gradually recovered. At present, lots of foreign trade enterprises are vigorously negotiating the orders for the second half of the year with their overseas customers.

“Currently we are proactively seeking orders for the second half of the year.” According to Fang Haiyan, the company will develop orders from three aspects. The first way is putting forward a highly cost-effective strategy. Second, in terms of payment clauses, a 30-50% advance payment was required for previous orders. However, payment method and ratio can be adjusted on now a case-by-case basis according to the customers’ status quos. In other words, payment can be made more flexibly. Third, some innovative products such as shoes with multiple functionalities will be developed to meet the market demands of customers.

“The production technology of swimsuit is similar to that of light sports products like yoga clothes and fitness sportswear. But our swimsuit business used to be so good to occupy almost all of our production, leaving few efforts on the production of light sports products. Now swimsuit orders have shrunk, hence the production of light sports products like yoga clothes has been increased.” Hong also mentioned that since the outbreak of the pandemic, yoga clothes orders of Qicaihu Swimwear Group have tripled with its sales volume reached 70 million to 80 million approximately.  

In addition, a lot of enterprises are actively expanding their domestic market, introducing new equipment, increasing their input in research and development of new products, and optimizing the supply chain process to enhance the comprehensive competitiveness of the enterprises.

By visiting some enterprises, the journalist found that enterprises with strong cash flow are incessantly consolidating their strengths by product innovation, internal management, and technological transformation. They demonstrate resilience in the face of obstacles and now they are at the forefront of the industry.

“Only by technology innovation can we be capable of coping with trade wars around the globe and dealing with pricing challenge from Southeast Asian countries incurred by tax imposition.” Fang Haiyan noted, the manufacturing process of our products is comparatively difficult and the innovation coefficient is relatively high, therefore, under the same conditions, our products might have a say in the market. 

　　晋江打响外贸“突围战”

　　受海外疫情持续蔓延的影响，今春以来，晋江外贸企业普遍面临接单难、履约难、国际物流不畅等诸多难题。即便如此，晋江外贸企业积极应对，跨境电商、直播带货、数字展贸平台等呈现勃勃生机……多措并举开展了一场外贸“突围战”，牢牢稳住外贸资金基本盘。伴随着全球疫情的控制，晋江海外订单逐渐回暖。

　　晋江陈埭，中国的制鞋之都。在大东亚鞋厂内，3000多名工人，18条流水线正有条不紊地生产着来自全球的各种品牌订单。“4月份至今，公司欧洲品牌订单基本恢复，美国方面的订单还相对不明朗。”大东亚（福建）体育用品业务副总方海燕介绍说，大东亚坚持多年研发生产的一款比利时护士鞋，在此次疫情期间订单呈现爆发式增长，迄今订单增长量达50％。目前，大东亚的订单可以持续到８月份。

　　“今年以来我们的泳装订单受影响较大。可危中有机的是，我们在家居服、时尚口罩领域有不少新收获。”七彩狐泳装集团董事长洪建库介绍说，全球疫情暴发以来，他们已承接到了上千万个民用时尚口罩的订单。此外，瑜伽服等室内运动产品的需求明显增加。

　　记者在走访企业中了解到，力利玩具、嘉利儿童、嘉年华母婴等不少外贸企业的订单逐渐回暖。目前有不少企业正在与海外客户积极沟通下半年的选品。

　　“目前，我们正在积极寻找下半年的订单。”方海燕表示，公司将通过三方面开拓订单，一是给予客户一个超性价比的价格策略；二是在支付条款上，原先需要先支付30%—50%的预付款，现在可以适当放宽比例，可以根据客户的实际情况进行货款的交付方式和比例调整；三是围绕客户的市场需求，配合其开发创新产品，如一些功能性较强的鞋靴。

　　“瑜伽服、健身衣等轻运动产品和泳装生产工艺类似，但以前泳装生意太好，忙不过来，我们只有少量生产。现在泳装订单萎缩了，我们就加大瑜伽服等产品的生产。”洪建库说，疫情发生以来，七彩狐的瑜伽服订单增长近两倍，销售额达到七八千万元。

　　此外，还有不少企业积极拓展国内市场、引进新设备、加大新品研发以及优化企业供应链流程等方式来提升企业综合竞争力。

　　记者在走访中发现，那些拥有较好现金流的企业则在不断夯实内功，通过产品创新、企业内部管理、技术改造等多个方面进行强化，已经走在行业前列，越挫越勇。

　　“技术创新才能自如地应对全球各种贸易战，以及周边东南亚国家一些关税的原因导致价格上的竞争。”方海燕表示，公司的工艺产品生产有一定难度、创新系数较高，这样在同等竞争条件下就拥有更多话语权。

　　本期策划：卢古质

　　本报记者：施珊妹  蔡明宣  董严军  陈巧玲

　　翻译校对：张蕾 黄荣足 黄雅君 刘巧艺

　　本期编辑：王昆火

　　本期校对：杨晨辉