At present, the impact of the epidemic on various fields such as the economy is gradually emerging. Affected by the new coronavirus epidemic, the foreign trade of the home appliance industry also encountered considerable challenges.

The background of the new coronavirus epidemic is more complicated. After the WHO listed the new crown pneumonia epidemic as PHEIC on January 31, although WHO does not recommend any travel or trade restrictions, public opinion influence and panic are still affecting import and export Has had some impact.

It is worth noting that although the new coronavirus epidemic constitutes an "International Public Health Emergency" (PHEIC), the WHO is highly affirming the prevention and control work of some countries and considers that it is not necessary to take measures to restrict international personnel movements and international trade, The assessment will be re-assessed after 3 months. If the epidemic situation is controlled by then, the determination will be revoked.

Currently affected by the epidemic, the export of the home appliance industry has been affected to varying degrees. The flow of personnel is blocked and the process of resumption of work is limited. The production and business activities, including the suspension of foreign economic and trade personnel, have even delayed or even cancelled some overseas orders signed by the company. The enterprise may bear certain losses because the contract cannot be performed on time. Enterprise operating costs caused by factors such as plant rents, taxes payable, anti-epidemic materials, logistics and transportation will also increase, especially for small and medium-sized home appliance companies.

In addition, although the level of intelligent manufacturing in the home appliance industry has improved significantly in recent years, it is still a labor-intensive industry. The suppression of personnel flow caused by the traffic blockage caused by the epidemic may cause some enterprises to face problems of labor shortage or loss.

Now the new coronavirus epidemic has caused concerns from all walks of life about the interruption of the global supply chain and the acceleration of manufacturing shifts.

According to the home appliance show, the Ministry of Commerce is making every effort to strengthen stable foreign trade measures in the fields of finance, taxation, finance, and insurance, including timely and full export tax rebates, expanding the coverage of export credit short-term insurance, expanding foreign trade credit, and prioritizing the protection of foreign trade capital chains.

In response to the concerns about industrial transfer caused by the epidemic, the impact of the epidemic on the supply chain in the foreign trade field mainly occurred at the level of production support, and product integration encountered temporary difficulties. This impact was local, limited, and completely controllable.

China's home appliance industry is a representative industry with the earliest marketization and the deepest internationalization. A group of main enterprises have changed from participants and followers in the international market to leaders, and transformed from producers to innovators in the global industrial chain, and shifted from product output to integrated global operations such as branding, management, and quality. It can be said that in the face of various risks and challenges, home appliance companies have shown sufficient confidence and resilience. Against the background of policy support and the strengthening of epidemic prevention and control by enterprises, household appliances companies such as Haier, Midea, and TCL have generally resumed production, and the recovery rate of some production lines has reached 90%.

Judging from the experience after the SARS epidemic in 2003, it is expected that the impact of this epidemic on imports and exports will most likely be concentrated in the first quarter of 2020. The future rebound depends on the duration of the epidemic. So don't overstate these short-term shocks, but make judgments from a medium-to-long-term perspective.

Although the foreign trade industry will be affected during the epidemic, these impacts are only temporary. After the epidemic is over, trade activities will resume relatively quickly, with little impact on the medium to long-term economy. It is imperative to protect the foreign trade industry in terms of credit, flexible employment, and guaranteeing resumption of work in advance.

However, it should be noted that the external environment is still complicated and severe, and there are still many uncertain and unstable factors. This requires us to effectively cultivate our "internal strength", review the situation, and steadily promote the steady and quality development of foreign trade.

We should be aware that the expansion of the overseas market of the home appliance industry cannot rely solely on product exports. Promoting the transformation of international strategies and building global brands are all development priorities that companies should consider at this stage.

In short, with the global spread of the epidemic, this year's foreign trade situation may be even more severe than last year. To formulate long-term plans, production plans and development goals, to boldly broaden horizons, to expand the market is the best way for the long-term growth of the home appliance industry.

Source: China State Grid