THE growing number of empty containers piling up at Chinese ports shows that the global market remains optimistic about the nation's export capacity, says China customs chief Yu Jianhua, reports Beijing's Global Times.
Mr Yu, head of the General Administration of Customs (GAC), said excess containers released to the market means a quick turnaround of empties after global Covid restrictions ease up.
Many empty containers are ready to move through Chinese ports, showing global confidence in China's export capability, said Mr Yu. Official data showed that the volume of containers has risen continuously since mid-February.
The previous global container shortage caused by the Covid crisis led to a surge in container production to support global industry and supply chains, insiders said, stressing that foreign carriers still focus heavily on Chinese ports amid the robust economic recovery.
A manager at a marine terminal in Qingdao surnamed Huang told the Global Times that more foreign ships recently came to China for maintenance and then docked to await orders after unloading cargo, showing optimism about the prospects of China's foreign trade.
Even as containers piled up during the Covid crisis, more were being produced, leading to the current supply-demand imbalance, said veteran shipping analyst Wu Minghua.
Zhao Nan, a research fellow at the Shanghai International Shipping Research Centre, said that a post-pandemic consumption boom in some Western countries ebbed, affecting container demand.
In 2021, more than seven million TEU were produced worldwide, nearly three times the usual level. Storing containers in China is cheaper than in Europe or the US.
The excess supply of containers shows that foreign enterprises are optimistic about China's trade recovery, and it doesn't mean China's foreign trade will decline, said Gu Xueming, head of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.
Mr Yu said that the start of 2023 has seen a stable trade market, a signal of positive growth.
For instance, the combined exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar panel cells surged more than 60 per cent, while cross-border ecommerce increased by 15.8 per cent, said Mr Yu.
SeaNews Turkey
Mr Yu, head of the General Administration of Customs (GAC), said excess containers released to the market means a quick turnaround of empties after global Covid restrictions ease up.
Many empty containers are ready to move through Chinese ports, showing global confidence in China's export capability, said Mr Yu. Official data showed that the volume of containers has risen continuously since mid-February.
The previous global container shortage caused by the Covid crisis led to a surge in container production to support global industry and supply chains, insiders said, stressing that foreign carriers still focus heavily on Chinese ports amid the robust economic recovery.
A manager at a marine terminal in Qingdao surnamed Huang told the Global Times that more foreign ships recently came to China for maintenance and then docked to await orders after unloading cargo, showing optimism about the prospects of China's foreign trade.
Even as containers piled up during the Covid crisis, more were being produced, leading to the current supply-demand imbalance, said veteran shipping analyst Wu Minghua.
Zhao Nan, a research fellow at the Shanghai International Shipping Research Centre, said that a post-pandemic consumption boom in some Western countries ebbed, affecting container demand.
In 2021, more than seven million TEU were produced worldwide, nearly three times the usual level. Storing containers in China is cheaper than in Europe or the US.
The excess supply of containers shows that foreign enterprises are optimistic about China's trade recovery, and it doesn't mean China's foreign trade will decline, said Gu Xueming, head of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.
Mr Yu said that the start of 2023 has seen a stable trade market, a signal of positive growth.
For instance, the combined exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries and solar panel cells surged more than 60 per cent, while cross-border ecommerce increased by 15.8 per cent, said Mr Yu.
SeaNews Turkey