Chinese footwear enterprises face foreign barriers

Guangzhou (CNS) -- Facing a stack of trade barriers set up by European countries, Chinese footwear enterprises have begun to team up and strengthen their technological innovation, a reporter from CNS learnt at the 111th Canton Fair recently.

At a shoe booth run by an enterprise from Zhuhai, the reporter saw that a range of children's footwear but few people stopping to take a look. "The skies are not sunny for exporters to Europe" said Wang Huan, head of the enterprise, "The orders we received from EU companies this year are 40 percent down from last year."

Wang said footwear needs to pass a standards test before being exported to Europe which costs 10,000 yuan each time, putting big pressure on businesses.

Many exhibitors share the opinion that the mainland footwear industry needs to set up a uniform environmental protection standards and advance new technologies. The external barriers may stimulate Chinese footwear enterprises to grow healthier and produce more competitive products.

"Despite the fact higher production standards would lead to higher costs, it may be the only way to break the layers of containment in foreign trade" said Cui Guoqing, general manager of a Wenzhou shoe enterprise.