Despite the concerns about "Made in China" products in the United States, a senior executive of the American Importers Association (AIA) holds a very positive view of Chinese commodities. 

Phillip W. Byrd, director-general of AIA, said Chinese products in the US are characterized by their rich variety, good quality and competitive prices, which have aroused increasing interest of US importers.

"When I returned from Greece recently, I received just a couple of phone calls a day asking about the new products I had seen there," he said. "But each time I return from China, I receive at least 20-30 calls a day on what new products I have seen here."

Citing the outcome of a recent survey among 1,000 importers in the US, he said 81 percent have imported directly or indirectly from China.

He said Chinese gifts, electronic devices, clothing, leather products, jewelry, auto components and DIY (do it yourself) products are among the hottest in the US market and made-in-China automobiles are gaining growing popularity.

Speaking on behalf of US importers, he said he is strongly against any anti-dumping move against imports from China.

"For American importers, it is more important to import as much as Chinese goods as possible than anything else. The more they import and resell, the richer they will be."

Byrd also drew the attention of Chinese exporters to the right marketing strategy and efforts to guarantee quality.

"Direct marketing is the most effective way of reaching and convincing American importers to buy your products or services," he said.

He also suggested that Chinese exporters should try to send sales pitches to their prospective buyers by regular mail and design websites to back up their sales efforts.

He said Chinese exporters should guarantee quality to convince American importers.

According to David Peng, senior vice-president of AIU Insurance China, product liability insurance bodes well for China's products to enter the US market.

"Importers would face much greater lawsuit risk if they imported products without such insurance."

According to Simon Foo, general manger of AIU Insurance's Guangzhou branch, its export product liability insurance business has maintained a double-digit growth in the past years, with electrical and electronics firms, and toy and gift companies in the Pearl River Delta region buying most of the insurance products.

(China Daily August 15, 2007)