"TİM Export Talks" Online Panels to Generate Solutions for the Covid-19 Process and Its Aftermath

Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM) is shaping the direction of trade during and after the Covid-19 period through "TİM Export Talks" online panels organized together with ambassadors. The first panel held with Turkey's Ambassador to Beijing Abdülkadir Emin Önen received strong interest. Following the panels, a report prepared by TİM will be shared with exporters. The Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM), with 61 exporter unions and 27 sectors, serves as the single umbrella organization for 95,000 exporters in Turkey, shouldering an important mission. During the Covid-19 period, international trade contracted and export losses were experienced. TİM is working to activate action plans to overcome these challenges and secure a stronger position in the new global order that will emerge after the crisis. The "TİM Export Talks" online panel series was launched as part of this effort. The first panel was held live on TİM's social media accounts with the participation of TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle and Turkey's Ambassador to Beijing Abdülkadir Emin Önen. In the panel titled "What opportunities are available for exporters in China after Covid-19?" measures taken in China during the pandemic, China's economic situation post-outbreak, developments in bilateral trade, and opportunities for the coming period were evaluated. TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle noted that Turkey's exports started the year well but experienced losses in line with global exports in March due to the pandemic. Gülle opened his remarks by saying: "We are not living normal days. We are experiencing such a process for the first time and trying to manage it. Thanks to our President, he announced a package to ensure we are less affected. We are trying to implement these measures. Our exporters have seen many crises and managed them very successfully. God willing, by managing this pandemic crisis, which we are experiencing for the first time, in the best way, we will succeed. We believe this period will pass." He added: "There are expectations worldwide that everything will change after this period. We believe this too. Certainly, the world and China have been affected by this process. We need to build the necessary infrastructure to improve trade between our two countries. We have started work on conducting virtual B2B meetings. As TİM has done so far, we will continue to do our best afterwards. After this period, we will go to the field and increase our exports," he said.

China Report to be made available to 95,000 exporters immediately

TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle, noting that with "TİM Export Talks" they are adding another project to the ones they have implemented over the last 1.5 years regarding TİM's digitalization, stated: "We started the first of these meetings with the Chinese market, which has essential weight in the world economy. The fact that China holds the largest share at 12.4 percent in global trade and ranks second in world GDP naturally required us to begin with this country. Furthermore, for 'TİM Export Talks' which we are conducting today for the first time, we have prepared a special 'China Report'. By adding important points and key insights that will emerge from our online meeting, we will make our China Report immediately available to 95,000 exporters. Our restructured Economic Research Department, over the last 1.5 years, has been preparing reports with next-generation market research, new approaches analyzing global trade, and reports that will shed light on export drives targeting existing and new markets to meet our exporters' objectives. You can access all these reports from our TİM mobile application and our TİM website."

"We should view China not as an alternative market, but as a primary market"

Turkey's Ambassador to Beijing Abdülkadir Emin Önen drew attention to the fact that it is still too early to speak of success in China's fight against coronavirus. Önen said: "The treatment process in China is ongoing. What is reassuring is that in the last 1-2 weeks there have been very few cases. China is currently concerned about a second outbreak from overseas sources. Therefore, entries and exits from abroad have been restricted. However, measures are gradually being reduced. Life is slowly returning to normal. In some sectors such as agriculture and retail, work is resuming. The wheels are beginning to turn. We have strong contacts with all sectors in China. Strong opportunities and possibilities are ready for our exporters," he said. Önen provided the following information regarding the current situation in China's economy and opportunities in China for Turkey: "As of the end of 2019, the size of the world economy was 86.7 trillion dollars, China's economy was 14.2 trillion dollars. Its share of the world economy is 16.3 percent. It has 2.6 trillion dollars in exports and 2.2 trillion dollars in imports. It is the leading export country for 56 countries and the leading import source for 64 countries. China contracted by 6.8 percent in the first quarter. Exports declined 13.3 percent, foreign trade volume declined 8.4 percent. In the first 2 months, China's loss in the service sector exceeded 300 billion dollars. The automotive sector in the country contracted by approximately 80 percent during this period. Sectors such as textiles, computers, and electronics are the most sensitive to production disruptions in China. The world is very seriously integrated with China. Shrinkage in China's economy will trigger many things in the world economy. We are truly going through a difficult period. But this crisis will end eventually. When it does, we all need to act much more prepared. In 2018, an import fair was held in China. As Turkey, we were able to participate with 35 companies in 700 square meters. In May 2019, our Chairman İsmail Gülle and our exporters essentially mounted an invasion of China. More than twice as many businesspeople came compared to the previous year, and the square footage more than doubled. If we want to sell things and explore China, we need to do similar work. We will do our part in building the necessary infrastructure for virtual B2B meetings. If we want to seize an opportunity here, we should not view China as an alternative market. If we do, it cannot become a primary market. The responsibility falls first on large companies. There is a 400-million-strong middle class here. This segment's annual income exceeds 25,000 dollars. We can be present in China with many of our brands. We should both increase our exports there and ensure that Chinese investors make more investments in Turkey. To do this, we need to conduct very good competitor analyses and sector analyses. Whoever in Turkey has whatever product should not look at China as a country, but as a continent. Each province has different characteristics. We are ready to provide all kinds of support."

Virtual delegation dispatch begins with South Korea

TİM Chairman İsmail Gülle also recalled that they organized the first trade delegation of 2020 to Doha, the capital of Qatar, with the participation of 34 exporters from 28 companies between 29 February and 4 March, stating: "This year, in line with our objectives, we plan to conduct 202 delegations as TİM and exporter unions. To achieve this objective, today, regardless of the obstacles caused by the global virus outbreak, under TİM's coordination, worldwide, by closely following supply chain problems stemming from the global virus outbreak and problems encountered in imports by countries, starting from Africa and the Middle East and extending from Central Asia to the Far East across a vast hinterland, in close contact with our trade advisors, we are rapidly transforming into a series of virtual trade delegations. From the 45 target and priority markets identified by your Ministry for the 2020-2021 period, by exchanging views with Trade Advisors and Attachés from 28 countries with a maximum 3-hour time difference with Turkey, to begin virtual trade delegations as soon as possible, we received responses from 18 countries and are awaiting responses from 10 countries. We have determined that virtual trade delegations can be organized by taking rapid action in South Korea, Czech Republic, Nigeria, Uzbekistan, and India. We will conduct the first virtual trade delegation with South Korea in the short term. Based on the views we received from our trade advisors, we are rapidly identifying potential sectors for each country, prioritizing food and non-food consumer goods."