BEIJING – China exported more than 220 billion masks last year, said the Commerce Ministry today, the equivalent of nearly 40 per person outside the country, as demand for protective gear skyrocketed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Shifting billions of dollars’ worth of the protective coverings has become an important driver of China’s exports after Covid-19 virtually halted economic activity in the earlier part of 2020 and ravaged growth.
Today, Commerce Vice-Minister Qian Keming told reporters that in addition to masks, China exported 2.3 billion pieces of protective gear and a billion test kits last year, “making an important contribution to the global fight” against the disease.
The mask shipments alone were worth 340 billion yuan (RM213 billion), said a customs official earlier this month.
“(The volume) is equivalent to providing nearly 40 masks to each person in the world outside China,” said customs spokesman Li Kuiwen.
China, where Covid-19 first emerged in late 2019, was also the first country to bounce back after imposing strict lockdowns and virus control measures.
It is expected to be the only major economy to clock positive growth for 2020.
But today, Commerce Ministry official Chu Shijia said China still faces a “severe and complex” environment in foreign trade and investment this year. – AFP, January 29, 2021
