New global markets, sales methods emerge from smoke of US tariff war

Platform support

China's exports reached 6.13 trillion yuan in the first quarter of this year, representing year-on-year growth of 6.9 percent, General Administration of Customs data shows. Exports to over 170 countries and regions all experienced growth.

"Based on our observations, the tariff policies in the United States have actually led to a significant increase in traffic from some emerging markets," said Cao of Made-in-China.com.

Established in 1998, Made-in-China.com is a comprehensive service platform for foreign trade, committed to tapping business opportunities for Chinese suppliers and overseas buyers. By the end of 2024, its online directory contained more than 9.2 million product listings of Chinese suppliers.

Cao said that the platform's data shows a notable first quarter increase in the volume of orders from Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese-speaking markets, indicating significant potential for growth.

To help businesses adapt to market changes, platforms like Made-in-China.com have been implementing various measures to enhance sales.

"We have introduced services in 16 different languages, with smaller language markets now accounting for one-third of the website's visitor volume," Cao stated.

The platform will continue to enhance the language service capabilities of its AI tools to help Chinese enterprises overcome language and cultural barriers and tap into the potential of these markets.

Data from the platform indicates that light industrial products have been significantly impacted by tariff barriers, Cao said. The hardest hit companies are those whose US exports account for more than half of their total exports.

While most foreign trade enterprises are inclined to explore new international markets, a large number of them have also started shifting their focus to the domestic market, said Cao.

"Emerging markets pose certain risks due to less mature purchasing power and commercial credit compared to European and American markets … companies need to adapt to the rules and risks of new markets and get accustomed to new trade models," she said.

To assist struggling businesses, Made-in-China.com has established a 150 million yuan special development fund for the light industry sector. The fund focuses on supporting industries such as consumer electronics, clothing and textiles, toys, and office supplies.

The special development fund will be used to extend the promotional service period for new platform entrants. Online promotion efforts in the light industry sector will also be boosted to provide more opportunities for foreign trade enterprises to accumulate visitor volume and expand business opportunities.

The platform will organize online activities for high-growth markets such as the Middle East, South America, and East Asia, conduct offline exhibitions and events, and leverage social media to facilitate supplier-buyer connections.

Cao believes that businesses still have an optimistic outlook on the development of new markets. "The potential demand in international markets is enormous, and as long as the demand exists, Chinese enterprises will play a crucial role in the global supply chain."

Zhang Xiaomin and Zhu Youfang contributed to this story.