2009 must have been a tough year for international exporters due to the unclear global economic climate. Unexpectedly, China's exports reached to 1201.6115 billion USD, ranking first in the world. In the case of China's textile and apparel industry, it as the pillar industry in China plays an important role in China's export and influences the people's livelihood. According to the latest export trade statistics issued in Jan.2010 by General Administration of Customs of China, the export of China's textile and apparel is US$167.024 billion, accounting for 13.9% of China's total export in 2009.

  If we shift our perspective from annual export figures above to monthly export table below, we will observe that the export line graph has shown an upward tendency in 2009.

Monthly Export of China's Textile and Apparel in 2009 (Unit: 100 million USD)

  In 2009, many overseas exhibition and expo. were sponsored by CCPIT TEX for the sake of finding export trade opportunities for China's textile and apparel enterprises. Thanks to the partial contribution from CCPIT TEX, the export trade of China's textile and apparel industry can pose a stance of recovery during the tough year of global economic recession.

  In terms of domestic trade, expanding domestic market for textile and apparel industry is one of the measures in stimulus package issued by government in 2009 with the purpose of counteracting the impact of global market demand decline. Many domestic exhibition and expo. were organized by CCPIT TEX in 2009 to stimulate domestic trade. According to the CNTAC, in the first five months of 2009, the trade growth rate of textile and apparel products in Chinese market was accelerated to 20% monthly.

  We can't deny that CCPIT TEX has made great contribution to trade promotion of China's textile and apparel industry in the past 2009. But complicated and volatile economic environment both at home and abroad still influences the trade promotion of China's textile and apparel industry in 2010. With the purpose of reviewing the trade promotion of 2009 and looking forward to 2010, I interviewed executive vice president of CCPIT TEX- Xu Yingxin who gave me some detailed introduction of the achievement made by CCPIT TEX in the past 2009.

  ''We expanded markets both domestic and overseas by organizing exhibitions and expo. in 2009. Ten exhibitions were organized in China, covering a total area of 412,300 square meters, accommodating 5944 exhibitors. What��s more, several delegations of China's textile and apparel enterprisers were formed by us to participate in four exhibitions abroad. In addition, we also held two overseas exhibitions independently in 2009. Exhibitions and expo. provide excellent trade opportunities to China textile and apparel enterprises during the economic downturn period.''

  Referring to the media role in facilitating CPPIT- TEX trade programs, Mr Xu was pleased with textile media partnership, saying that ''We enhanced the cooperation with media to intensify the public awareness of our exhibitions. The media, including radio, television, newspapers and the Internet, have given wide coverage to our exhibitions. We find it effective to use the mass media to transmit our exhibition as they are penetrating and far-reaching. For instance, we publicized the information of CHIC exhibition by dint of mobile newspaper in 2009.''

  I asked with an inspired sense of interest ''What are the plans for CCPIT TEX in 2010'', as I often come across the same inquiry from our readers.  Mr Xu went on with a lot more detailed information for the trade fair's plans in the New Year: ''According to the appraisal of current situation, we have already gathered valuable experience from organizing some exhibitions including fabric, apparel, home-textile and technical textiles. 2010 is an important year of sponsoring exhibitions, some highlighted exhibitions will be organized by us such as textile machines exhibition in June.  In the meanwhile, a work programme of textile trade promotion during 2010-2013 will be made in 2010 to improve the management ability.''

  The rise and fall of a trade vehicle business change with international market climate, so is it with CCPIT- TEX trade exhibitions both in the past experiences and in the future expectations. When I requested Mr Xu Yingxin to predict the trend of international market for China's textile industry in 2010, he was prudent to argue well that ''The level of consumption reveals an upward tendency in 2010 owing to the recovery of global economic climate. So I suggest that CCPIT TEX should enhance the cooperation with some specialized associations and international trade promotion organizations in order to promote the development of Chinese textile industry to a new stage. In terms of China's textile and apparel enterprises, 2009 must have been a year of survival, accompanying several export trade frictions.  So I suggest we should enhance our competitive ability by developing independent brands and expanding domestic market according to policies issued by government in the year of 2010 in order to upgrade our industry. '' 

  As a new Silk Road, CCPIT TEX paves a lot of trade opportunities for China's textile and apparel enterprises. This road winds its way forward and into the platen of trade liberalization, away from the swamp of trade protectionism. That's a real trade route, I believe.