Global market entry to help shoe factories step up quality
After a tough two years, the mainland's shoe industry is gleefully anticipating the prospects opened by entry into the World Trade Organisation.
'It will promote exports and when tariffs come down, imported shoe material will be much cheaper, which means we can cut costs further,' said Zhou Guojun of the Senda Group, one of the mainland's biggest domestic manufacturers.
Zeng Yang, spokesman for the Chinese shoemaking industry, said: 'After accession, there could be a big surge in exports and our factories will also make bigger profits.
'Implementation of WTO rules will mean more imports of higher quality foreign materials. The quantity change will lead to a quality change.' Mainland manufacturers are anxious to move upmarket by producing higher quality and brand products.
'China still lags behind in shoe designing . . . there will be more foreign designs and designers coming to China. The competition will be good,' Mr Zeng said.
His office has already been fielding calls from manufacturers from Italy, Portugal and Britain who plan to sell their shoes in the mainland when tariffs come down.
