Optimizing Global Layout, Strengthening Competitive Advantages – Successfully Held the 7th Executive Council Meeting of the 11th Session and the 16th Summit of Key Enterprises of the China Sewing Machinery Association

On March 28, 2025, the 7th Executive Council Meeting of the 11th Session and the 16th Industry Key Enterprises Summit of the China Sewing Machinery Association (CSMA) was held in Shanghai. With the theme “Optimizing Global Layout, Strengthening Competitive Advantages,” the conference planned the annual work, explored new trends in industrial development, discussed new strategies for high-quality industry growth, and jointly sought new paths to propel the industry toward new quality and strength. More than 60 participants attended the meeting, including He Ye, Vice President of the China Light Industry Council; Yang Xiaojing, Chairman of the China Sewing Machinery Association; and other full-time and part-time Vice Chairmen, specially invited Vice Chairmen, Executive Council members, and representatives, with the Supervisory Board members. The meeting was hosted by Chen Ji, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of CSMA.

He Ye expressed hopes and requirements for CSMA and industry enterprises from the perspectives of strengthening confidence for development, digital transformation to build new strength, and global layout to explore new opportunities. She urged the entire industry to further solidify confidence, effectively utilize national policies benefiting enterprises, and significantly enhance quality and efficiency; to drive the transformation and upgrading of the industrial chain with digital transformation and AI empowerment; and to adopt a global perspective that coordinates both domestic and international markets, thereby optimizing the global layout. This is aimed at contributing to the high-quality development of the industry and the construction of a modern industrial system for sewing machinery.

The meeting listened to and approved the 2025 work focus report presented by Chen Ji. As 2025 marks both the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the preparatory year for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the China Sewing Machinery Association will continue to implement the directives of the Party Central Committee. Centered on high-quality industry development, CSMA will focus on strengthening global layout and market expansion, nurturing and expanding new productive forces, and optimizing the modern sewing industry system. Key construction efforts will be made in 10 areas, including optimizing development planning, promoting industrial structure adjustments, enhancing digital and intelligent empowerment, improving standard supply, advancing talent team construction, strengthening publicity and guidance, hosting CISMA2025 successfully, facilitating precise industrial matchmaking, promoting organizational development, and practicing social responsibility, thereby laying a solid foundation for the successful completion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Vice Chairman Wu Jiling reviewed the economic performance of the industry in 2024 and, based on the 2025 outlook, offered development suggestions and prospects. Analysis indicated that due to a noticeable decline in domestic demand, the global economy is expected to continue a moderate recovery in 2025. The strong growth momentum in exports is anticipated to offset the decline in the domestic market. Additionally, digital and intelligent technologies will further empower innovation in sewing equipment, helping to continuously improve industry revenue and profits, with the overall economy expected to gradually stabilize or show slight fluctuations throughout the year.

Deputy Director Li Li from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Industrial Development Promotion Center and Cheng Haitao, former Product Director at Huawei, shared their rich industry experience and expertise to analyze the opportunities and challenges that enterprises face in going global under the current market environment. They offered a number of innovative strategies and suggestions, providing valuable insights for the industry to break through traditional export models and achieve global development.

Focusing on the conference theme and key industry tasks, leading enterprises such as Zhang Min, Chairman of SGG; Wu Liangjie, Chairman of Hikari; Qiu Yangyou, Vice President of Jack Technology; Ru Shuiqiang, General Manager of Dahao Technology; and Chen Xinhua, Chairman of Changzhou Xiangtai, shared their global practice experiences on market expansion, technological innovation, supply chain optimization, brand building, and cross-cultural management. Their insights brought new inspirations and ideas to the representatives present.

Subsequently, the participants engaged in extensive exchanges based on their own situations, reaching a broad consensus on the 2025 industry development trends, opportunities, challenges, and countermeasures. This further solidified their confidence and resulted in a number of constructive suggestions and recommendations.

In his concluding remarks, Chairman Yang Xiaojing stated that 2025 is not only the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan but also a pivotal year for strategizing the 15th Five-Year Plan. He emphasized that the sewing machinery industry must refine market concepts, adjust market strategies, diversify market approaches, and vigorously develop both domestic and international markets to drive the industry’s evolution from being “large and comprehensive” to “strong and resilient.”

Regarding how to further strengthen market expansion in the next steps, he offered five key hopes and suggestions: First, Adopt a Demand-Oriented Approach to Lead Global Layout and Innovation: Seize the transformative opportunities in the high-end, intelligent, green, and integrated evolution of the textile and apparel industry, observe market changes and user needs, build an R&D system centered on user demands, and accelerate the transformation of technological achievements. Second, Drive Innovation to Expand Diverse Global Application Scenarios: Accelerate the intelligent upgrade of traditional industries through the active application of digital and green technologies, continuously improving the capability to meet the personalized, customized, and rapid-response needs of downstream industries during their transformation and upgrading. Third, Utilize Globalization to Establish a New Dual-Circulation Development Pattern: Deepen the domestic market by accurately grasping the rise of the apparel industry in central and western regions, consolidate and expand overseas markets, and utilize various new models and approaches to achieve global development goals, thereby coordinating internal and external efforts and strengthening competitive advantages. Fourth, Base Actions on Responsibility to Create a Global Ecosystem of Mutual Benefit: Transform competitive strategies, build independent brands, practice industry responsibility, and promote entrepreneurial spirit. Fifth, Leverage Multi-Dimensional Cooperation to Promote Global Industrial Chain Synergy: Strengthen intra-industry collaboration and inter-industry linkages, driving coordinated development throughout the industrial chain.

During the meeting, the first session of the 7th Supervisory Board meeting was also held.