China is set to become a major source of garment machinery and accessories for the Sri Lankan apparel sector in the next several years.
Sri Lanka Apparel Exporters' Association Chairman A. Sukumaran said Sri Lanka should consider China a cheaper source of machinery and accessories rather than a threat to our garment industry.
His association has built close ties with Shanghai garment machinery and accessories manufacturers and would play an important role in promoting modern and low cost Chinese machinery and accessories among Sri Lankan garment exporters.
The Sri Lankan delegation is in China to attend the opening ceremony of the Shanghai Fashion Centre and Shanghai Garment Machinery Zone.
They also attended the Shanghai International Garment Machinery and Accessories Fair (SIGMA 2006) in the Fengjing Province.
Sukumaran said that the visiting delegation would get an opportunity to meet leading machinery and accessories manufacturers in Shanghai and witness their new products which could be used effectively by Sri Lankan garment manufacturers.
The majority of machinery and accessories used by Sri Lankan garment manufacturers are at present sourced from countries like Japan.
China's entry into WTO presents a good prospect for its garment machinery industry. China has become the world's most important production base and consumption market for garment and textile machinery.
Shanghai International Garment Machinery City, a top global purchasing base for textile production equipment and the world's largest market for garment machinery, will provide an ideal platform for other Asian countries to develop their garment industries.
Sukumaran said garment manufacturing countries in the region such as India, Bangladesh and Vietnam will be sourcing machinery and accessories from China in the future.
"We have to develop our garment industry to be competitive with the help of a leading player such as China.
We not only can source cheaper machinery and accessories from China, but also their expertise. We also expect Chinese garment manufacturers to build partnerships with our manufacturers to invest in Sri Lanka. We have made arrangements to set up our office here which would also serve that purpose," Sukumaran said.
Source:佚名