China Sewing Machinery Association Delegation Visits Sri Lanka for Exchange

To better expand into global markets and accurately grasp the demand for equipment upgrading and transformation in South Asia’s textile and apparel industry, a delegation led by Yang Xiaojing, Chairman of the China Sewing Machinery Association, visited Sri Lanka for inspection and exchange from April 5 to 6.

During the visit, the delegation met with the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) of Sri Lanka and conducted on-site research at leading local apparel enterprise Star Garments Group as well as sewing machinery distributor TIYAAN. They gained a comprehensive understanding of the current development of Sri Lanka’s apparel industry, including its industrial layout, application of sewing equipment, and service demands.

Sri Lanka is one of the representative regions where the textile and apparel industry in South Asia is experiencing robust growth. In 2025, Sri Lanka’s apparel exports reached approximately USD 4.91 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 5.34%. According to Yohan Lawrence, Secretary General of JAAF, the textile and apparel industry is a pillar of the national economy, with development primarily centered on export-oriented manufacturing. Leveraging advantages in labor costs and geographic location, Sri Lanka actively participates in the global apparel supply chain.

In recent years, the Sri Lankan government has introduced a range of policy measures—such as tax incentives in export processing zones and the free remittance of profits—to encourage the development of the textile and apparel sector. Through strategies including market diversification and product structure upgrading, the country aims to promote leapfrog development of the industry and achieve an export target of USD 8 billion by 2030.

Through field research and visits, the delegation found that Sri Lanka’s apparel industry is currently undergoing a transition from the traditional “cut-make-pack” model toward “full-package production” and “fashion-tech” development. The industry is at a critical stage of sewing equipment upgrading, with strong demand for digitalization, automation, and improvements in quality and efficiency. Data shows that in 2025, China’s exports of sewing machinery to Sri Lanka reached USD 37.17 million, marking a significant year-on-year increase of 39.85%.

During the exchanges, Chairman Yang Xiaojing comprehensively introduced the development achievements of China’s sewing machinery industry. To better support the development of Sri Lanka’s textile and apparel sector, he proposed three recommendations:

First, to establish a regular information exchange and cooperation mechanism. The China Sewing Machinery Association will further strengthen strategic alignment with JAAF to ensure timely sharing of industry developments, technological trends, and market demand information. Second, to deepen the development of localized service capabilities. By working with local sewing machinery enterprises such as TIYAAN, both sides can jointly carry out skills training and build after-sales service networks, providing apparel manufacturers with higher-quality, more user-friendly, and more efficient products and service solutions. Third, to promote deeper integration of the industrial chain. Efforts should be made to facilitate direct cooperation between Chinese and Sri Lankan sewing machinery and apparel enterprises, and to jointly explore cooperation models in areas such as digital factory development and intelligent manufacturing upgrades, thereby injecting new momentum into mutually beneficial industrial integration between the two countries.