Gathering global industry think tanks to focus on economic reopening, World Textile Merchandising Conference held in October in Keqiao
Sep 28, 2020 ｜ by Zhao xh
Currently, the global economy is slowly reopening from the pandemic, but the road to reopen is not smooth. Geopolitical conflicts have intensified, de-globalization noise has increased, supply chain cooperation has been under pressure, and economic recession risks have continued to accumulate. Facing the future, for the global textile industry to achieve stable development amidst changes and make greater contributions in reopening, it is necessary to start from value, responsibility, and long-term, strengthen consensus, close cooperation, and exploring paths.
On September 24, 2020 the 3rd World Textile Merchandising Conference Press Conference, the 22nd Keqiao Textile Expo (Autumn), Shaoxing China and the 8th Keqiao Fashion Week Promotion Conference were held in Shanghai. It was announced at the conference that the 3rd World Textile Merchandising Conference will be held on October 26 - 29, 2020 in conjunction with the 22nd Keqiao Textile Expo (Autumn), Shaoxing China and Keqiao Fashion Week in Keqiao District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang. At the same time, relevant preparations for the event were introduced. With the theme of “New industrial value, new textile contribution - responsibility of the textile industry in reopening the world economy”, this conference aims to gather global industry think tanks to focus on industrial recovery and transformation, and unite the global industry strengthen efforts to deepen cooperation in production capacity, make more contributions to human health and well-being, and demonstrate the morality and responsibility of the industry.
Sun Ruizhe, President of China National Textile and Apparel Council, Chen Dapeng, Vice President of China National Textile and Apparel Council, Zhang Xi’an, Vice President of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textile and Apparel, Ma Wei, Deputy Secretary-General of China General Chamber of Commerce, Qiao Yanjin, Director of China Textile Information Center, Li Binhong, Director of National Textile Development Center, Yan Yan, Director of Social Responsibility Office of China National Textile and Apparel Council, Li Bo, Deputy Director of China Textile Information Center, Ma Ying, Secretary-General of Apparel Branch of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles and Apparel, Shen Zhijiang, Secretary of Keqiao District Committee of Shaoxing City, Fang Youmei, Deputy District Head of Keqiao District People’s Government of Shaoxing City, and other leaders attended the conference. The conference was chaired by Li Yongjie, Minister of Publicity Department and Member of the Standing Committee of Keqiao District Committee of Shaoxing City.
Do a good job of “dual circulation” under global cooperation
In his speech at the conference, President Sun Ruizhe pointed out that China’s textile industry took the lead in recovering from the pandemic, ensuring product supply and promoting industrial cooperation with an active, open, pragmatic, and responsible attitude, which effectively guarantees the recovery and sustainable development of the global industrial ecology. “Responsibility-oriented, work together to create a mutually beneficial and win-win industrial ecology; innovation-oriented, work together to create an industrial ecology that advances with the times; value-oriented, work together to create an efficient and integrated industrial ecology.” President Sun Ruizhe put forward three proposals on global cooperation with the “three orientations” centering on the new value and new contribution of the industry. He also pointed out that China is about to enter the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, and China’s textile industry is establishing a new development position, namely: pillar industries for national economic and social development, basic industries for solving people’s livelihood and beautifying life, and competitive industries for international cooperation and integrated development. International cooperation is an important part of the new positioning of the industry, and it is also a key path to achieve the new positioning. Under the global cooperation, China’s textile industry can achieve better development; and the practice of China’s textile new positioning will also be a valuable opportunity for global industrial development.
In the morning of the same day, the Keqiao government held a handover ceremony for the first electric passenger train of the Hangzhou-Shaoxing Intercity Railway. In the afternoon, a press conference of the 3rd World Textile Merchandising Conference was held in Shanghai. In response, Secretary Shen Zhijiang said in his speech that this is not only the “one-city effect” brought about by the integration of the Yangtze River Delta, but also the specific action by Shaoxing Keqiao to unswervingly integrate into the Hangzhou-Shanghai traffic circle and expand opening up. It is also a strategic measure for Keqiao to strive to build a “demonstration area connecting Hangzhou and Shanghai” and “a benchmark area for modernization of regional governance” and to sprint to the “top ten regions” in China. The 3rd World Textile Merchandising Conference is of special significance and aims to convey three “Keqiao Impressions”: Keqiao is a warm city of “safety, peace of mind, and full of great love”, and a dynamic city of “all-round opening”, a charming city of “entrepreneurship, innovation, friendly and honest service”. He pointed out that more than ever in the pandemic period, it is necessary to create a good cooperation environment and stimulate innovation and cooperation momentum. Keqiao hopes that through the World Textile Merchandising Conference, the bridge of cooperation will be unblocked, together to build a new pattern of “dual circulation” development, continue to broaden the open channels of “Silk Road in Keqiao”, and jointly create the name card of textile city.
Invite industry representatives from more than 50 countries to focus on the global issues
The World Textile Merchandising Conference has been successfully held for two consecutive sessions since 2018. It not only has rich contents, but also established the “World Textile Merchandising Conference Council”, launched the “Silk Road in Keqiao, Connect Whole World Together” program, issued the “World Textile Merchandising Declaration”, and completed many international production capacity projects, etc., which has won unanimous praise and recognition of the industry.
How will the 3rd World Textile Merchandising Conference further improve its effectiveness and start with a new chapter? Deputy District Head Fang Youmei said in the introduction of work preparations that the 3rd World Textile Merchandising Conference started the organization and planning work in accordance with the principle of “high level, great influence, and good effect”. At present, it has extensively contacted industry associations and well-known enterprises in more than 50 textile industry key countries, such as the United States, Germany, France, Italy and Spain. This conference will implement the “online + offline” dual mode, online to the world synchronized live broadcast, the offline scale is controlled at about 500 people. She also said that this conference will present three highlights: First, focus on “hot spots of the times”. Following the spirit of “World Textile Merchandising Declaration”, the conference gathers the main forces of the global textile industry, discusses global textile supply chain integration, digital transformation, sustainable fashion innovation and other hot topics, and explores the promotion of global textile innovation collaboration and smart collaboration, resource coordination solutions. The second is to aggregate “multiple content”. The conference consisted of the theme conference of the World Textile Merchandising Conference, 2020 Keqiao Fashion Week (Autumn), and 2020 Keqiao Textile Expo (Autumn), Shaoxing China. The 2020 China Keqiao Textile Printing Industry Expo will also be held simultaneously. The third is to gather the “international textile forces”. The conference will hold the “Hand in Hand, Common Development” World Textile Merchandising International Alliance video release ceremony, inviting industry representatives from more than 50 countries around the world to explain the prospects and suggestions for the future development of the industry through video, and convey the direction and needs of cooperation with the Chinese textile industry. At the same time, the establishment of the 2020 China Textile City Overseas Joint Chamber of Commerce and the global launch ceremony of the Textile City Overseas Tinder Plan will be held.
Embrace the changes of the times and respond to the big exams with innovation and transformation
In the media interview session, when talking about the response path of China’s textile and apparel industry under the reopen of the world economy, Vice President Chen Dapeng pointed out three directions with the key words of “innovation and change”. The first is product innovation. On the one hand, product development must not only adapt to the structural changes in consumption in the pandemic era and emerging market demands, but also focus on the “internal circulation” to strengthen the collaborative innovation of the industrial chain; on the other hand, it is necessary to create a world-class brand with cultural leadership and quality connotation, so as to push the industry to the high end of the world textile value chain and to the commanding height of the global industry. The second is digital innovation. The era of industrial economy is accelerating towards the era of digital economy. As a new productivity, digital technology will run through the entire industrial chain and bring changes in industrial form and ecology. It is necessary to promote the digital transformation of resource organization methods and market connection methods, embrace the transformation of new technologies, new consumption and new organizations, accelerate the comprehensive integration of digital technologies and industries, and move toward networking and sharing. The third is sustainable innovation. Sustainable development has become a global consensus. Creating a responsible and green supply chain system is not only an important part of the soft power of the industry, but also an important manifestation of the value of the industry. As a manufacturing power that accounts for half of the global apparel output, China must become a firm promoter and active actor for the responsible development and sustainable development of the global apparel industry during the construction of a new industrial civilization. It is the mission of the industry to promote the industry to a higher level with the concept of sustainable development and make China’s contribution to the global textile and apparel industry.
Feng Hualin, Director of Construction Management Committee of China Textile City in Keqiao District, Shaoxing City, said in a media interview that China Textile City is currently facing a major opportunity of superposition of international events and the national strategic advantages. Keqiao will insist on “online + offline”. “The “domestic + foreign” four-wheel drive, intelligence, fashion and internationalization will increasingly become the distinctive features of China Textile City. Intelligence is mainly reflected in the creation of a smart market, the construction of e-commerce of the textile city, and the optimization of the e-commerce ecosystem. Fashion is mainly reflected in the strengthening of the creative design base, the successful holding of events such as the World Textile Merchandising Conference, Textile Expo, and Fashion Week, and improving the fashion function of International Convention and Exhibition Center. Internationalization is embodied in adhering to marketization, promoting the full integration of operating mechanisms, operating products, and supporting services with international standards, and accelerating the construction of pilot projects for market procurement trade models. Talking about the fashion improvement measures of China Textile City in the post-pandemic era, Director Feng Hualin said that the first is to innovate measures to attract talents and increase the intensity of talent cultivation. It is the first in the industry to promote the “Jingwei Plan” for design talents, innovate the design talent evaluation system, and attract high-end design talents to Keqiao for entrepreneurship and innovation. The second is the active transformation of services, and fashion never stops. Since the beginning of the year, we have successively launched “Fashion, Keqiao is in Action”, “Women’s Fabric Fashion Virtual Class”, and launched the “Keqiao Optimum” live broadcast plan and other fashion virtual services. The third is to successfully organize “major events” and create new urban IP. Continue to follow the standards and requirements of normalization, branding, and internationalization, vigorously and continuously promote the two action plans of “Silk Road in Keqiao, Covering Whole World” and “Monthly Exhibition, Daily Show”, and realize “Keqiao fabrics selling to the world, textile city fashion all over the world”. At the same time, we will make every effort to build the “World Textile Merchandising Conference”, “Keqiao Fashion Week” and “Keqiao Textile Expo” into the three “golden business cards” of the textile city Keqiao and the new IP of the fashion city.
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