China's Foreign Trade Remains 'Grim' Amid Pandemic, Commerce Ministry Says
China’s trade sector continues to struggle amid the COVID-19 pandemic despite certain logistics sectors returning to normal (see 2003170043), China’s Ministry of Commerce said May 7. “Although the decline in foreign trade data narrowed in April, the development of foreign trade still faces greater downward pressure,” a ministry spokesperson said during a press conference, according to an unofficial translation of a transcript. The spokesperson called China’s trade atmosphere “very grim and complicated.”
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The spokesperson added that companies continue to face canceled orders, struggle to sign new orders and are hampered by “poor” logistics. “Uncertainty and instability factors have increased significantly,” the spokesperson said. “The risks and challenges facing foreign trade development are unprecedented.”
The spokesperson also addressed China’s decision to increase inspections on exports of medical supplies, saying the quantity of cleared exports is increasing. The measure was criticized by industry and trade groups for causing shipping delays (see 2004150034). “The channels for the export of epidemic prevention materials are completely unblocked,” the spokesperson said, adding that China only restricts exports when they fail to meet Chinese standards or standards of the importing country. “China's defense epidemic materials exports have shown a significant increase,” the spokesperson said.