China's mind-blowing shift to mask-making, while the rest of the world scrambles for medical supplies, serves as a fresh reminder of the planet's reliance on China-made goods, for better or worse.
Me and @SuLin_Tan report:
scmp.com/economy/global… #coronavirus
Me and @SuLin_Tan report:
scmp.com/economy/global… #coronavirus
As of Feb 29, China was making 116mn masks a day, up from 20mn pre #covid19. Everyone from the co making j20 fighter jets to Sinopec to Foxconn getting in on the act, in a startling mobilisation of the state-run economy
As France and Germany refused to export masks to Italy, China stepped in.
This is a PR coup for Beijing, a soft power move that should be a concern to Western powers who have lost their industrial capacity at this tough time, analysts say.
This is a PR coup for Beijing, a soft power move that should be a concern to Western powers who have lost their industrial capacity at this tough time, analysts say.
Meanwhile, a US distributor: “We are dealing with hospitals that do not have products, how in the United States of America in 2020 did this happen?”
People are again wakening up to the supply chain imbalances at play here. China will soon have plenty of masks to export...
People are again wakening up to the supply chain imbalances at play here. China will soon have plenty of masks to export...
But this will reignite debate:
“One of the great flaws of globalisation is that everyone wanted things cheaper, but did you compromise your health care infrastructure in the process?” said @SSRoachUSChina
“One of the great flaws of globalisation is that everyone wanted things cheaper, but did you compromise your health care infrastructure in the process?” said @SSRoachUSChina
Interesting titbit here being that when Xi Jinping went to Wuhan on Tuesday, he wore the 3M, US-designed N95 respirator 😷 
