Fortive eyes opportunities in China's new infrastructure push

SHANGHAI -- The third China International Import Expo (CIIE) will offer great opportunities for the US industrial technology company Fortive to participate in the construction of new infrastructure in China, the company told Xinhua in an interview.

Jasper Ang, president of Fortive Asia, said that previously, some brands of Fortive had participated in the expo separately, but this year marks the first time that Fortive has appeared at the CIIE as a group.

Fortive's booth features cutting-edge products and solutions in various sectors, including digital communications, smart travel and smart medical care, many of which have been used in China's 5G base stations, ultra-high voltage (UHV), charging piles, and other new infrastructure projects.

Ang said that Fortive achieved double-digit growth in the third quarter of this year in China, and the annual performance is also expected to be positive this year.

"This is already a very good performance under the huge pressure of the global pandemic," said Ang.

According to him, Fortive will continue to accelerate localization in China. With plants in Shanghai, Anhui and Tianjin, many of Fortive's operating companies plan to move more production lines to China, especially those related to the new infrastructure construction.

Qualitrol, one of Fortive's subsidiaries, has announced plan to move the production lines of some UHV-related products to the city of Tianjin.

"With China's industrial upgrading and intelligent manufacturing innovation, the world's perception of 'Made in China' is changing, which is no longer synonymous to low cost," said Ang, adding that "China's initiative to develop new infrastructure will drive a large number of data connections and demand upgrades, injecting continuous vitality into the entire industry."

Ang believed that the CIIE is a great example to build a more inclusive economy collectively, while China's new development pattern of "dual circulation" is conducive to promoting domestic demand and opening up to create opportunities for global companies.

"We gathered here not only to make one-time deals, but more importantly to meet our customers, partners and other exhibitors to share, learn and inspire thought-provoking ideas," said Ang.