US Dollar Exchange Rates of
10th February
2021
China Yuan 6.4582
Report from China
Zero tariffs on New Zealand wood products
According to the Ministry of Commerce the 12-year old
free trade agreement (FTA) between China and New
Zealand has been updated and signed. Under the China-
New Zealand FTA the two countries have further
liberalized their trade.
In the updated FTA wood and paper products from New
Zealand will be duty free. China¡¯s imports include
fibreboard, napkins, writing paper, brown paper, adhesive
paper, paper board and paper labels. This FTA will help
expand China's access toraw materials, save domestic
timber resources and promote the transformation and
upgrading of relevant domestic industries.
See:
http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2021-01/26/c_139698386.htm
MOU signed by CNFA and Canada Wood Group
The China National Furniture Association and the Canada
Wood Group successfully held an online signing of a
MOU covering a wide range of activities. The ceremony
was led by President Xu Xiangnan of CNFA and President
Bruce St. John of CWG and witnessed by Rachael
Bedlington of the Canadian Embassy in Beijing.
China has become the second largest market for Canadian
wood exports after the US and suppliers in Canada believe
that China will continue to expand its timber imports.
China has been moving towards higher quality and ecofriendly/
green materials for furniture production which has
created opportunities for cooperation.
The MOU will help Canadaian industry gain a deeper
understanding of the Chinese furniture market and
improve the use of Canadian wood in furniture production.
The Canada Wood Group has offered to support
international publicity and expert exchange and bilateral
visits.
In order to further strengthen the cooperation between the
Chinese furniture industry and the Canadian timber
industry and to have more extensive exchanges in trade,
standards and technology, the two sides agreed to establish
an information exchange mechanism, carry out various
industrial activities and organise technical training.
See:
https://www.cnfa.com.cn/infodetails3579.html?lid=36
and
https://canadawood.org/mou-signing-with-the-china-nationalfurniture-association/
No large-scale production stoppages
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has
reported several corona virus outbreaks recently
particularly in Hebei Province and Northeastern China and
this has impacted industrial production but on a smaller
scale than seen during the outbreak in Hubei at the
beginning of 2020.
To curb the spread of the coronavirus during the New
Year holiday period China issued guidance on reducing
mass gatherings and strengthen epidemic control. In
addition measures such as advocating off-peak travel and
encouraging people to stay home during the holiday have
been implemented.
National standards on wood-based panels in English
Recently 172 national standards have been released
including 5 standards on wood-based panels in English,
namely:
Green Product Evaluation, Wood-Based Panel
and Wood Floor (GB/T 35601-2017)
Thermosetting Resin Impregnated Paper Overlaid
Fiberboard and Particleboard (GB/T 15102-2017)
Impregnated Paper Overlaid Plywood and
Blockboard (GB/T 34722¡ª2017),
Solid Wood Floor Part One Technical
Requirement (GB/T 15306.1¡ª2018)
Solid Wood Floor Part One Inspection Method
(GB/T15306.2018).
The standard on Green Product Evaluation, Wood-Based
Panel and Wood Floor (GB/T 35601-2017) is one of
standards on the first green products released by China
National Standardards Administration. The aim is to
promote the transformation and upgrading of the industry
and green development.
The other four are standards on wood-based panels and
solid wood floor which will play an important role in
regularising production and trade of impregnated paper
wood-based panel and solid wood floor and leading the
development of enterprises.
The concept of foreign language version of national
standards is an important measure to promote the
implementation of the national "One Belt and One Road"
initiative and the realisation of Chinese standards going
global.
See:http://rbw.criwi.org.cn/news/?pid=418
and
http://file2.foodmate.net/wenku2021/sgm202101260920.pdf
Lipu City honoured for clothes hanger production
Liput City has been honoured as the Chinese production
centre for clothes hangers. The annual production of
hangers in 2020 was over 4 billion in Lipu City, Guangxi
Zhuang Autonomous Region.
An estimated 80% are exported to European countries, the
USA and South East Asian countries. Production and
exports account for over 70% of the national total and the
value of production last year in this Lipu City was close to
RMB7 billion.
There are 8 categories and more than 3,000 kinds of wood,
bamboo and metal cloth hangers in Lipu City. Wooden
hangers are mainly made from imported European beech.
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