Shoe, clothing exporters glum at Canton Fair  

中国服装箱包企业广交会直面“严峻”生存考验

第112届广交会10月31日进入鞋服、箱包等劳动密集型企业构成的第三期，记者走访展馆了解到，在生产成本依旧高企背景下，出口形势异常严峻加之人民币汇率近期再度走强，正让这些企业面临“严峻”的生存考验。

Guangzhou (CNS) -- Labor-intensive footwear and clothing companies have seen shrinking orders at the ongoing third phase of the Canton Fair, China's largest trade fair, China News Service learned Wednesday.

"Foreign trade is sluggish this year. Our orders have been reduced almost by half," said Liu Wei, an exhibitor from a Hebei luggage exporter. "Years ago we earned money steadily. Now we have more competitors and see costs soaring, but we are unable to raise our prices."

Most of our products are settled in U.S. dollars, so the ongoing appreciation of the RMB makes our profits even thinner, said Luan Tianyi, an employee from a Guangzhou-based shoe manufacturer.

Some exhibition booths have even put on fashion shows to attract clients. "The companies either hang in there or get kicked out of the game," said Zhuangwei, an exhibitor from a clothing exporting company in Jiangsu Province.