Successful Response to the impact of the epidemic: China's traditional toy monthly export "from negative to positive"

China is the world's largest exporter of toys. The reporter learned from the 19th China International Toys and Educational Equipment Exhibition, which opened in Shanghai on 21st, that after experiencing the impact of COVID-19 epidemic, the monthly export of Traditional toys in China has changed from negative to positive since the second half of the year, and the cumulative export of traditional toys in the first three quarters has been close to the same period of last year.

The latest statistics from the China Toys and Baby Products Association, the organizer of the exhibition, show that in the first two months of this year, China's traditional toy exports, hit 2.57 billion US dollars, down 26.8 percent from the same period last year, due to the double difficulties in domestic production and foreign transport. As of June, China's traditional toy exports had been declining year-on-year on a monthly basis, with exports totaling $10.59 billion in the first half of the year, down 12.1 percent from a year earlier.

With the smooth progress of epidemic prevention and control in China and the resumption of work and production of enterprises, the export of traditional toys has entered a rising space in July. In July, exports reached $3.54 billion, up 21.2 percent year on year. Exports reached $3.94 billion in August, up 2.6% from a year earlier. Exports in September were $4.11 billion, up 7.9% from a year earlier.

From January to September, China's exports of traditional toys totaled us $22.61 billion, down 1.9% year on year, but the decline has slowed down month by month, showing that the toy industry has strong resilience and vitality in the face of the impact of the epidemic and the test of the international market. The export of traditional toys is expected to achieve positive growth this year. This is of great significance to the toy industry, especially to the stability of the economic development and employment of the 20 major toy producing areas in Guangdong, Zhejiang, Shandong, Jiangsu, Fujian, Shaanxi and Hebei provinces.

According to Liang Mei, President of the China Toys and Baby Products Association, due to the impact of home isolation and other factors during the epidemic, the time spent with parents and families increased, and people's demand for handmade and educational toys increased. The audience groups of toys are gradually expanding to the older and younger groups, and some trendy toys are increasingly popular among the younger groups. Seizing these new changes and new demands, Chinese toy enterprises "turn crisis into opportunity and seek opportunity in danger" and actively expand the international market.

The 19th China International Toys and Educational Equipment Exhibition focused on a batch of "trend new products" made in China, which are expected to be released next year. It focused on handmade toys, outdoor sports, educational toys and other categories, and "safety" became its common goal, reflecting the new changes in the toy industry under the epidemic situation.