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The first thing Dong Yuejun does after ar- riving at the office is to check the latest currency exchanges rates.
“Exchange rate fluctuation of the yuan means uncertain costs. This is the most important thing for export merchants，” said Dong， an electric equipment exporter in Ningbo， east China’s Zhejiang Province.
The yuan’s accelerated appreciation began on April 1 this year， strengthening to a record high of 6.1867 against the U.S. dollar on May 24， up from 6.2674. In addition， the yuan has risen 1.6 percent against the dollar since the start of 2013， higher than its 1-percent gain last year.
But the Ministry of Commerce （MOFCOM） warned that a rising yuan could have a serious impact on Chinese exporters， leaving many to wonder where a rising yuan fits into the overall picture of China’s economic growth.
Severe impact
“The more dollars you make， the bigger losses you suffer，” said Fu Changguang， a clothing exporter in Hefei， capital of east China’s Anhui Province， when talking about the recent surge in the value of the yuan. In the past six months， a stronger yuan was the straw that broke the camel’s back for his business. “Rising labor and material costs， sluggish demand and intense price competition have made my profit margin paper-thin， and the rising yuan has eaten up the meager profits I’ve made，” Fu said.
“Due to its low profit margin and high reliance on exports， the textile industry became the first to bear the brunt of yuan appreciation，” said Tang Shuangshuang， an analyst with Huachuang Securities. According to Tang， a 1-percent appreciation of the yuan will cause profits to erode in the industry by 1-4 percent. Even big companies cannot escape its impact. Lutai Textile Co. Ltd.， an export-oriented company based in east China’s Shandong Province， reported its first annual business decline last year since it’s being listed on the stock market in 2000. “Exchange rate fluctuations had a negative impact on export revenue，” read the company’s 2012 annual report.
The textile sector was not the only one hit by a stronger yuan. “My friend who exports enamelware had a profit margin of only 2 percent. New orders decreased by more than 50 percent this year，” said Fu.
“The current rising yuan has put many export-oriented Chinese companies under escalating pressure，”said Tan Yaling， Director of the China Forex Investment Research Institute.
“The yuan’s recent appreciation casts an alarming pall on the profits of China’s exporters，” said Shen Danyang， a MOFCOM spokesperson. “Many exporters are now afraid of taking more orders because of a lack of confidence in the future of their businesses. And exporters’ profits have been squeezed to a very low margin. Many small and medium-sized exporters are scrambling to survive.” The yuan isn’t only appreciating against the U.S. dollar. Data show that the yuan has edged up 19 percent against the Japanese yen and 2.6 percent against the euro since the first trading day of the year.
China’s exports to Europe in April declined 6.5 percent to $25.9 billion. Trade with some European countries suffered even bigger declines. Germany’s imports of Chinese goods fell 7.2 percent and France’s by 6.7 percent. Exports to the United States edged down slightly to$28.1 billion.
Looming appreciation
The rapid appreciation of the yuan was driven partly by a substantial increase in foreign capital inflows， say experts. “Monetary easing in other countries， like the United States and Japan， has caused capital inflows into China and therefore pushed up the value of the yuan，” said Fan Yanhui， Deputy Director of the Financial Research Institute at the University of International Business and Economics. On May 5， the State Administration of Foreign Exchange announced a set of measures to crack down on hot money inflow.
Anticipated difference in interest levels between China and countries where loose monetary policies are depressing bank deposit returns supported a stronger yuan， according to Sun Huayu， a professor of economics at the Guangzhou-based Jinan University. In addition to hot money inflow， a stable Chinese economy and a new leadership promising ongoing economic growth have also contributed to a rising yuan， according to Fan.
With more and more small and medium-sized exporters struggling， further appreciation could lead their businesses to collapse. “I don’t know how long I can hold on. If the situation worsens， I will give up on the export business in at most two or three years，” Wang Xian， a shoe exporter in Dongguan， south China’s Guangdong Province， told China Central Television.
Experts also warn of the danger of plummeting exports. According to Fan， the yuan rising to 6 against the U.S. dollar would be unbearable for many exporters. “If the current situation continues， China faces the possibility of depreciation，” said Fan. He also noted that the currency rate is closely linked to the status of the whole economy， and the Chinese economy faces many huge obstacles， including mounting local debt， an unstable housing market and a weakening industrial sector， which do not allow the yuan much space to appreciate.
China’s economy unexpectedly stumbled in the first quarter of the year， growing 7.7 percent from a year earlier. Analysts had expected growth to pick up in the first quarter. “After the U.S. and EU economies recover， their currencies will pick up again. By that time， yuan depreciation will return，” said Fan. According to the West Brothers Economic Research Institute， China’s currency will gradually appreciate against the U.S. dollar by nearly 10 percent over five years. “I know the yuan will appreciate in the long term. What I hope is that it appreciates in a gradual manner so that profits come and go and we can still survive，” Fu said.
Coping measures
Trapped in a predicament of rising costs and yuan appreciation， exporters are trying various means to mitigate risks to their businesses.
In order to minimize currency exchange losses， suppliers are also trying out financial instruments， such as Chinese yuan non-deliverable forward contracts.
By fixing the desired exchange rate， a nondeliverable forward contract allows you to hedge against the risk of exchange rate fluctuations. However， a non-deliverable forward contract is not a popular measure among suppliers. “Using financial instruments requires significant capital，” said Chen Cunman， a power equipment salesman in Suzhou， east China’s Jiangsu Province. “The most effective method to minimize currency losses is yuan settlement.”
Ever since he lost money in several deals settled in U.S. dollars last year， Chen decided to settle in yuan. But yuan settlement is not a cure-all remedy. “Yuan settlement means you transfer the appreciation risk to your clients. You have to make other concessions， for example， like lowering prices，” Chen said.
Cheaper foreign currencies have also inspired exporters to use more imported materials and components. “We have increased imports of equipment and material from Japan to mitigate losses，” said Li Yan， an exporter based in Dongguan.
But for Zhao Xiao， a professor with the School of Economics and Management at University of Science and Technology Beijing， cheaper foreign currencies present new opportunities for exporters.
“To some extent yuan appreciation will force exporters to accelerate their plans to move up the value chain and produce higherend goods. It’s a chance to purchase advanced technology and equipment at lower prices.”
“Exchange rate fluctuation of the yuan means uncertain costs. This is the most important thing for export merchants，” said Dong， an electric equipment exporter in Ningbo， east China’s Zhejiang Province.
The yuan’s accelerated appreciation began on April 1 this year， strengthening to a record high of 6.1867 against the U.S. dollar on May 24， up from 6.2674. In addition， the yuan has risen 1.6 percent against the dollar since the start of 2013， higher than its 1-percent gain last year.
But the Ministry of Commerce （MOFCOM） warned that a rising yuan could have a serious impact on Chinese exporters， leaving many to wonder where a rising yuan fits into the overall picture of China’s economic growth.
Severe impact
“The more dollars you make， the bigger losses you suffer，” said Fu Changguang， a clothing exporter in Hefei， capital of east China’s Anhui Province， when talking about the recent surge in the value of the yuan. In the past six months， a stronger yuan was the straw that broke the camel’s back for his business. “Rising labor and material costs， sluggish demand and intense price competition have made my profit margin paper-thin， and the rising yuan has eaten up the meager profits I’ve made，” Fu said.
“Due to its low profit margin and high reliance on exports， the textile industry became the first to bear the brunt of yuan appreciation，” said Tang Shuangshuang， an analyst with Huachuang Securities. According to Tang， a 1-percent appreciation of the yuan will cause profits to erode in the industry by 1-4 percent. Even big companies cannot escape its impact. Lutai Textile Co. Ltd.， an export-oriented company based in east China’s Shandong Province， reported its first annual business decline last year since it’s being listed on the stock market in 2000. “Exchange rate fluctuations had a negative impact on export revenue，” read the company’s 2012 annual report.
The textile sector was not the only one hit by a stronger yuan. “My friend who exports enamelware had a profit margin of only 2 percent. New orders decreased by more than 50 percent this year，” said Fu.
“The current rising yuan has put many export-oriented Chinese companies under escalating pressure，”said Tan Yaling， Director of the China Forex Investment Research Institute.
“The yuan’s recent appreciation casts an alarming pall on the profits of China’s exporters，” said Shen Danyang， a MOFCOM spokesperson. “Many exporters are now afraid of taking more orders because of a lack of confidence in the future of their businesses. And exporters’ profits have been squeezed to a very low margin. Many small and medium-sized exporters are scrambling to survive.” The yuan isn’t only appreciating against the U.S. dollar. Data show that the yuan has edged up 19 percent against the Japanese yen and 2.6 percent against the euro since the first trading day of the year.
China’s exports to Europe in April declined 6.5 percent to $25.9 billion. Trade with some European countries suffered even bigger declines. Germany’s imports of Chinese goods fell 7.2 percent and France’s by 6.7 percent. Exports to the United States edged down slightly to$28.1 billion.
Looming appreciation
The rapid appreciation of the yuan was driven partly by a substantial increase in foreign capital inflows， say experts. “Monetary easing in other countries， like the United States and Japan， has caused capital inflows into China and therefore pushed up the value of the yuan，” said Fan Yanhui， Deputy Director of the Financial Research Institute at the University of International Business and Economics. On May 5， the State Administration of Foreign Exchange announced a set of measures to crack down on hot money inflow.
Anticipated difference in interest levels between China and countries where loose monetary policies are depressing bank deposit returns supported a stronger yuan， according to Sun Huayu， a professor of economics at the Guangzhou-based Jinan University. In addition to hot money inflow， a stable Chinese economy and a new leadership promising ongoing economic growth have also contributed to a rising yuan， according to Fan.
With more and more small and medium-sized exporters struggling， further appreciation could lead their businesses to collapse. “I don’t know how long I can hold on. If the situation worsens， I will give up on the export business in at most two or three years，” Wang Xian， a shoe exporter in Dongguan， south China’s Guangdong Province， told China Central Television.
Experts also warn of the danger of plummeting exports. According to Fan， the yuan rising to 6 against the U.S. dollar would be unbearable for many exporters. “If the current situation continues， China faces the possibility of depreciation，” said Fan. He also noted that the currency rate is closely linked to the status of the whole economy， and the Chinese economy faces many huge obstacles， including mounting local debt， an unstable housing market and a weakening industrial sector， which do not allow the yuan much space to appreciate.
China’s economy unexpectedly stumbled in the first quarter of the year， growing 7.7 percent from a year earlier. Analysts had expected growth to pick up in the first quarter. “After the U.S. and EU economies recover， their currencies will pick up again. By that time， yuan depreciation will return，” said Fan. According to the West Brothers Economic Research Institute， China’s currency will gradually appreciate against the U.S. dollar by nearly 10 percent over five years. “I know the yuan will appreciate in the long term. What I hope is that it appreciates in a gradual manner so that profits come and go and we can still survive，” Fu said.
Coping measures
Trapped in a predicament of rising costs and yuan appreciation， exporters are trying various means to mitigate risks to their businesses.
In order to minimize currency exchange losses， suppliers are also trying out financial instruments， such as Chinese yuan non-deliverable forward contracts.
By fixing the desired exchange rate， a nondeliverable forward contract allows you to hedge against the risk of exchange rate fluctuations. However， a non-deliverable forward contract is not a popular measure among suppliers. “Using financial instruments requires significant capital，” said Chen Cunman， a power equipment salesman in Suzhou， east China’s Jiangsu Province. “The most effective method to minimize currency losses is yuan settlement.”
Ever since he lost money in several deals settled in U.S. dollars last year， Chen decided to settle in yuan. But yuan settlement is not a cure-all remedy. “Yuan settlement means you transfer the appreciation risk to your clients. You have to make other concessions， for example， like lowering prices，” Chen said.
Cheaper foreign currencies have also inspired exporters to use more imported materials and components. “We have increased imports of equipment and material from Japan to mitigate losses，” said Li Yan， an exporter based in Dongguan.
But for Zhao Xiao， a professor with the School of Economics and Management at University of Science and Technology Beijing， cheaper foreign currencies present new opportunities for exporters.
“To some extent yuan appreciation will force exporters to accelerate their plans to move up the value chain and produce higherend goods. It’s a chance to purchase advanced technology and equipment at lower prices.”