Struggle in Southeast Asia against flood of cheap Chinese imports

The tidal wave of cheap Chinese imports flooding Southeast Asia is causing devastation and joblessness in local industries. In Thailand’s Lampang province, half of the ceramics factories have closed, while thousands of textile workers in Indonesia have lost their jobs. Malaysian manufacturers are struggling despite the government’s efforts to impose a 10% tax on e-commerce.

For Meelarp Tangsuwana, founder of a ceramics factory in Lampang, Chinese competitors selling identical bowls at a much lower price have made it impossible to compete. This trend is echoed across the region, where makers of various products are outmatched by Chinese manufacturers with highly automated supply chains.