Hebei's porcelain capital sees surge in exports with tailored designs for overseas clients

Tangshan City, known as the "Porcelain Capital of North China," is leading a resurgence in Hebei Province's ceramic exports by upgrading production and tailoring designs for overseas clients amid fierce domestic competition.

In the first 10 months of this year, Hebei's ceramic exports reached 5.31 billion yuan (about 730 million U.S. dollars), a 14.3 percent year-on-year increase, ranking sixth nationwide.

Tangshan's ceramics legacy dates back to 1924, when the city produced China's first ceramic basin. Over the years, it has transformed from small workshops into a key production and export hub in northern China.

Boasting over 200 ceramic enterprises, the city exports its products to over 100 countries and regions. In the first three quarters of 2024, Tangshan's ceramic exports reached 3.08 billion yuan (about 420 million U.S. dollars), a 15.7 percent year-on-year growth.

Evandro Burgel, a sanitary wares wholesaler from Brazil, made his first trip to Tangshan to explore its offerings. He was impressed by the innovative designs, which he believes have strong market potential in his home country.

"The products have a very, very good design and also a very good quality in production and in the finishing as well, and the design is really differentiated from the other competitors in the same market," he said.

Breaking into the global market wasn't easy for the 40-year-old sanitary ware company that Burgel visited. Initially, the company had to slash prices repeatedly to secure a foothold in the low-end market. However, the company has since pivoted its strategy.

"We actively reach out to international markets and participate in influential trade shows to expand our client base. We also conduct annual market research and analyze consumer demands to upgrade our products," said Fu Lirong, director of Operations and Management at Huida Sanitary Ware Co.

The company has established a global sales and service network spanning over 100 countries, including the US, Canada, and the UK. Its export sales exceeded 100 million U.S. dollars in the first ten months of this year, a 22 percent increase year on year.

Tangshan Monopy Ceramic, another leading producer, has been involved in foreign trade since the 1990s. Facing fierce global competition, the company pivoted from outsourcing to focusing on original design and tailored production for international markets.

"As a company engaged in foreign trade for many years, we have keenly noticed changes in customer requirements in recent years, prompting us to increase our investment in research and development. Our company has transitioned from an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) model to a design-led production approach for our overseas business," said project manager Hou Jing.

Another star ceramic product from Tangshan is bone china. Characterized as resonant as a chime, thin as paper, white as jade, and clear as a mirror, it possesses both practical and artistic value, and is frequently used for state banquets and national gifts.

Producing over 2,000 varieties of daily-use bone china products, another ceramics factory in the city primarily exports to countries such as Russia and Italy, currently fulfilling a rush order from Türkiye during the peak production season.

Additionally, Tangshan Customs has streamlined clearance processes for ceramic export enterprises by taking measures such as leveraging online application systems for inspection and quarantine certificates, self-declaration of origin for approved exporters, which has significantly reduced visa costs and enhanced clearance efficiency.

"We are promoting online declarations, intelligent reviews, and self-service printing of certificates, enabling rapid issuance and saving businesses considerable time and costs," said Zheng Chen, director of the Tangshan Customs Office.

Hebei's porcelain capital sees surge in exports with tailored designs for overseas clients

Switzerland, known for its pristine lakes and rich tradition of fishing, is facing a significant challenge of plunging fish stocks that could threaten the livelihood of many in the fisheries industry.

In recent years, local fishermen have seen their catches decline drastically, with about 90 percent of the fish consumed in the country now being imported. This shift reflects broader environmental changes impacting Swiss fisheries, and the difficulties local fishermen are enduring are becoming more evident each year.

At seven in the morning, as the first light of dawn begins to break, a handful of fishermen at a dock in Geneva prepare to head out to the lake to check the nets they set the previous day. As the long nets were hauled from the water, the catch of perch was relatively small, but the fishermen were still satisfied, especially since they managed to net two large pike, which would fetch a good price.

Francois Liani, a fisherman of 30 years, said 2024 has been the worst year for fishing with the lowest amount of catch.

"I have never seen anything like this in over 30 years. That's right, 2024 is the worst year in the past 30 years," he said.

Fifty years ago, there were more than 800 professional fishermen in Switzerland. Today, that number has dropped to fewer than 90.

"There are many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is global warming -- it is one of the biggest problems. We have also new mussels that come from the Black Sea on the Eastern Europe that came about five, seven years ago. They have a large impact on the food availability for the fishes," said Maxime Prevedello, communication officer for the French-speaking region of the Swiss Fishing Federation (SFV).

As a result, the growth rate of fish has slowed significantly. In 2012, 2013, and 2014, a professional fisherman was able to catch around 1,000 tons of fish annually. Today, that number has dropped to just around 100 tons -- a mere one-tenth of what it used to be, according to Prevedello.

In the summer of 2024, Switzerland once again endured high temperatures. Native fish species such as perch, grayling, and the Alpine char, which have adapted to cold water, have been particularly affected. According to Switzerland's environmental authorities, 58 percent of the country's native fish species are now classified as endangered.

Swiss fishermen face growing struggle as local fish stocks plunge