Flashes of light for Swedish companies when China opens up

The ongoing corona pandemic has caused large parts of the world to slowly but surely shut down to limit the infection. At the same time, China, the country where the outbreak started last winter, is starting to re-open after the Chinese corona falls, according to Chinese authorities, sharply reduced. Something already noticed in the capital Beijing.

- Both in shops and in restaurants you notice that it is starting to return to normal. But at the same time, there are now travel restrictions because you are afraid to import new cases, ”says Joakim Abeleen, China Manager at Business Sweden.

Business Sweden is an organization owned by the Swedish state and the Swedish business community and works with, among other things, Swedish companies that establish themselves abroad. And according to Joakim Abeleen, Swedish companies in China notice the winds of change after the corona eruption.

- It is a positive signal that many companies here feel. The concerns of the companies here are no longer as great. But there are still clouds of concern. There are still negative effects on, among other things, the sale of goods, he says.

Business Sweden, together with the Swedish business community, conducted a survey among Swedish companies in China where it appears that the unrest in March for what the production at the companies will look like in the coming months is significantly lower than the unrest the month before. But concerns about how sales will look are relatively unchanged.

The challenge now for companies in the country is to be able to quickly change to a reality where China's economy begins to open up while the international economy is volatile.

- It is important to find solutions. Finding suppliers and finding areas where you can sell, says Joakim Abeleen.

According to him, it is too early to say which companies are the most favored by China starting to open up.

- Since large parts of the western world are now closed, it is the companies that have relatively regional supply chains that can do best. Where subcontractors and other players are also located in China, he says.

First and foremost is the larger industrial company, which according to Joakim Abeleen is now favored when China opens up again.