Source: Global Times
Agence France-Presse reported on April 12 that the title is "We are not afraid": despite the cancellation of American orders, Chinese manufacturers remain determined. On a sultry spring day, inside a Christmas tree factory in eastern China, workers are quickly assembling dense branches, wiping sweat as they paint plastic pine needles with colors.
Like countless companies in Zhejiang Province, a manufacturing powerhouse, the products from this factory are mainly aimed at the export market, and the industry is recently facing new threats from American tariffs causing global turmoil. "At first, people in the industry were somewhat pessimistic," said Jessica Guo (surname), the factory manager. "But in the past two days, we have become more united, and we feel that we cannot be bullied like this. We are willing to weather the difficulties together with the country."
China has taken countermeasures. The workshops in Guo's factory are not currently producing products for American orders - those orders have been suspended or are still pending confirmation. Guo said that other Christmas tree manufacturers in the area have also been affected, but factory owners in Zhejiang often have broader and recently developed customer bases. "Indeed, in recent years, we have hardly encountered any American customers," she said while walking past rows of boxes labeled with addresses in Guatemala and Chile. "We have gradually reduced our dependence on the American market and started to develop other markets."
Fifty minutes away, in a factory specializing in plastic utensils, female salesperson Cathy said that American clients account for only 20% of her total clients, far below the 80% before the pandemic. "At first, some of our American clients said they could face it together, but later the tariff amounts soared at an absurd rate, and no one could afford it. Now, we are in a wait-and-see state to see what the U.S. will do next," Cathy said. She added that they might transfer some products produced for the American market to other overseas markets or the domestic market. Meanwhile, the factory continues to operate. The air buzzes with activity as workers feed colorful plastic parts into machines, completing each process in a matter of seconds in an orderly manner. "Imposing tariffs on us really does them no good," Cathy said.
The "embodiment" of Zhejiang Province's light industrial strength is the wholesale market in Yiwu City - one of the largest wholesale markets in the world. From various electronic products to toy guns and artificial turf, everything is available. Most merchants say they have diversified customer groups spanning South America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other regions. "If the trade war escalates, we should view it with a calm mindset," said Wang Xuxue (surname), a veteran merchant, while sitting behind her stall filled with stuffed animals and Barbie handbags. Many companies will develop new products for other countries.
A nearby clothing store displays various silicone masks, forming a wall with well-known villain masks. These include Freddy Krueger (the protagonist of the American horror film series "A Nightmare on Elm Street" - editorial note), various werewolves, and demons. Ms. Wang said, "The Chinese people are very united. (We) work harder, save more, and we are not afraid of price wars. We are all very confident." (Translated by Cui Xiaodong)
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7492933362630410761/
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