Exports to continue brisk expansion

Despite a number of economic uncertainties this year, Niu Liqun, chairman and CEO of Jia Shi Da Robot Technology, remains optimistic about his company's growth prospects.

"There are many positive factors helping us to tap into global markets, including China's leap forward in international cooperation and supportive policy measures for foreign trade," said Niu, whose company is a leading robot manufacturer and exporter based in Taiyuan, Shanxi province.

"We will strengthen research and development to meet diversified customer requirements in international markets and aim to grow into an internationally renowned brand."

Just like Jia Shi Da, foreign trade enterprises across the country are strengthening efforts to make 2022 another successful year, despite facing challenges that include uncertainties in overseas demand and surging costs of raw materials and logistics.

Analysts and business leaders said China's foreign trade is expected to have strong growth momentum throughout the year, thanks to Chinese enterprises' increased focus on improving product quality and adopting new business methods such as cross-border e-commerce. The nation's efforts to expand high-level opening-up and implement cross-cyclical adjustments are also expected to play a positive role.

The implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership agreement, which took effect on Jan 1, will also boost China's foreign trade growth, they said.

"Chinese enterprises, especially private enterprises with advanced technologies and independent brands, have become a very strong force in foreign trade," said Zhang Jianping, head of the Center for Regional Economic Cooperation at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.

"The nation's foreign trade will continue to expand in size while improving its structure, making an important contribution to overall global economic growth," Zhang said.

Niu, of Jia Shi Da, said the company's products, including window-cleaning robots, autonomous vacuum cleaners and electric toothbrushes, are popular in overseas markets, and it plans to capitalize more from its product design and production capabilities.

Guangxi Liugong Machinery, a manufacturer based in Liuzhou, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, expects sales of electric loaders to double in 2022 year-on-year. The company's electric loaders are widely sought after and are leading products in the green development of the engineering and construction sectors.

The company posted year-on-year growth of about 70 percent in overseas sales last year, which will serve as a solid base for continued growth this year, said Li Dongchun, general manager of the international business department of the company.

The RCEP agreement will bring business opportunities to the company due to the huge growth potential of member economies of the trade pact, Li said.

Diane Wang is founder, chairperson and CEO of DHgate, a leading cross-border B2B e-commerce marketplace in China. She expects that cross-border e-commerce will keep growing this year and more Chinese companies will leverage overseas warehouses to boost their growth.

Customs data showed that China's imports and exports hit a record $6.05 trillion in 2021. The figure equated to 39.1 trillion yuan, a 21.4 percent year-on-year increase.

Huo Jianguo, vice-chairman of the Beijing-based China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, said China's foreign trade growth will likely slow in the second half if adjustments in global industrial and supply chains continue.

Yet Chinese exports will remain important throughout the year to meet global demand and help stabilize worldwide industrial and supply chains, he said.