技术创新让中国的出口持续增长

Since joining the WTO, China has become the largest manufacturer in the world. But with slowing global demand, the appreciating yuan, and rising resources and labor costs, many export-oriented firms are facing a slowdown.
自从加入世贸组织（WTO）以来，中国已经成为全球最大的生厂商。但是由于全球需求放缓、人民币升值、资源和劳动力成本增加，很多外向型企业面临衰退。

This factory in Guangzhou specializes in manufacturing the machines that make packaging, like plastic beverage bottles. Close to half of their machines are sold to the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The current economic crisis is inevitably affecting sales.
广州这家工厂专门生产制造像塑料饮料瓶这样的包装机械。他们近一半的机器销往美国、欧洲、中东和非中。他们的销售额不可避免地受到当前经济危机的影响。

Zhang Songming, board chairman of Tech-Long Packaging Machinery Ltd. Said: "Last year, exports accounted for over 40 percent of our total sales. This year, internal demand has gone up significantly, but exports haven’t increased. So they account for less of our total sales now."
广州达意隆包装机械有限公司董事长张颂明透露：“去年，出口量占我们总销售额的40%以上。今年，内需明显增长，但是出口量没有增加。所以，现在它们在我们总销售额中占的比例更少了。”

In addition to weakened external demand, the steady appreciation of the yuan is pushing up costs for this export-oriented manufacturer.
除了外需减弱，人民币的稳步升值也使这些外向型制造商的成本增加。

Reporter: "With appreciation of the Chinese currency, machinery manufacturers need to focus on innovation to meet the global standard. With the newest technology, they can now produce plastic bottles that weight 40 percent less."
记者：“由于中国货币的升值，机械制造商必须专注于创新以达到世界标准。有了最新的科技，我们可以生产重量轻40%的塑料瓶。”

Zhang says, the technology is not only environmentally-friendly but has also made their products more competitive.
张颂明表示，这种科技不仅环保，而且让他们的产品更有竞争力。

Zhang Songming said: "By lowering the weight of the bottles produced by our machines, our customers can use less raw materials in their production and lower their costs. This technology directly benefits them and also gives us more sales. Most of these innovations were developed by our own staff."
张颂明称：“通过降低我们的机器生产的瓶子的重量，我们的客户可以在他们的生产过程中使用更少的原材料，降低成本。这项科技直接使他们受益，也使我们的销售量增加。这些新发明大多数是我们的员工开发的。”

Across the expansive commercial landscape of Guangzhou, innovation has become the name of the game.
在广州广阔的商业景观中，创新已经成为最重要的方面。

This elegant fashion designer’s studio space used to be a clothing factory that employed over 1400 workers. As labor and resource prices rose, the factory lost its competitiveness and closed down. In 2007, it was transformed into a fashion research and development centre. It’s since attracted many top Chinese designers.
这位文雅的时装设计师的工作室过去是一家雇有1400多名工人的服装厂。由于劳动力和资源价格上涨，工厂失去了竞争力，倒闭了。2007年，它变成一个时装研究开发中心。自那以后，它吸引了中国许多顶尖的设计师。

Li Zixin, chairman of Guangzhou Textiles Industry & Trade Holdings Ltd. said: "The RMB keeps appreciating and costs are all going up, how do we keep our exports up? Our exports have gone up over 40 percent this year, higher than the national and provincial average. With this platform, we don’t have to sit and wait for foreign designers to provide their designs. We can do more than simply make clothes using their designs, and be forced to compete with other developing countries in a price war. Our designers can come up with their own designs, or modify sketches according to our customers’ specifications. Our textile industry is transforming from Original Equipment Manufacturer to Original Design Manufacturer and eventually become Original Brand Manufacturer. "
广州纺织工贸企业集团有限公司总裁李志新表示：“人民币持续升值，成本都在上涨，我们怎么样才能使我们的出口量持续增加？去年，我们出口的增加超过了40%，高于全国和省的平均值。有了这个平台，我们不必坐等外国设计师来提供他们的设计。我们可以做的更多，不只是用他们的设计来做衣服，不必与其它发展中国家进行价格战。我们的设计师可以提出他们自己的设计，或根据客户的说明修改草图。我们的纺织业正从原始设备制造商向原始设计制造商转变，并最终成为原始品牌制造商。”

The company’s newfound design capability has attracted many customers at this year’s Guangzhou trade fair, and sales have gone up every year despite increasing competition. Designers say their ultimate goal is to create their own brands that meet the demand of Chinese consumers, that can also compete in the global market.
在今年的广交会上，公司新发现的设计能力吸引了许多客户，尽管竞争加大，但是每年的销售额都在增加。设计者表示，他们的最终目的是创造自己的品牌，满足中国消费者的需求，也能在全球市场上参与竞争。