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 Hindustan Times October 14, 2020 China is cementing its status as the world’s dominant trading nation, confounding warnings that a once in a century pandemic combined with simmering tensions with the US would derail that status. Surging global demand for everything from hazmat suits to work-from-home technology has allowed China, which contained the virus months ago, to capture record market share of global exports by quickly reopening its factories while the rest of the world grappled with lockdowns. It’s a striking reversal from the first two months of the year when China’s exports contracted by 17.1%. It’s also an outcome that underscores the nation’s enduring role in manufacturing even amid simmering tensions with the US that have fueled talk of shifting supply chains. For all the tariffs levied by the Trump administration, monthly sales to the US remain robust. “China’s export performance during this crisis is indeed a proof of its solid status as the world’s factory,” said Y...

Business Line Dated May 31, 2020 Published by C.Gopinath Going local is becoming the new mantra Economic globalization has certainly taken a hit. Global trade is estimated to have shrunk by about 33 per cent and foreign direct investment flows by about 35 per cent. Even if you say you will wipe the containers with disinfectant, nobody is buying. Governments suddenly realised that if they want swabs or personal protective equipment, they have to stand in line behind many other countries to source from a limited number of suppliers, and so turned their focus to domestic manufacturing. Companies, also hit by obstructions in their carefully crafted global supply chains, began thinking that regional supply centres may make more sense. Not too long ago, mass customisation was catching the fancy of manufacturers. If you can individualise efficiently, surely regional distribution of manufacturing facilities should be achieved without sacrificing scale economies. Many leaders, including...