
BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Tweaking production lines and building new workshops, China's apparel companies have stepped up to help mitigate the acute shortage in medical protective outfits and face masks amid the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Challenge, a Shanghai-based fabric company, converted a three-story workshop to produce protective outfits from Feb. 4, while fashion company Dishang Group in eastern China's Shandong Province started prototyping the outfit in its refurbished germ-free workshop.
Daily output is pushing toward 6,000 items at Challenge, said Yang Shibin, president of the company.
In the city of Ningbo in eastern China's Zhejiang Province, 14 garment manufacturers including the well-known brand Peacebird and a raw and auxiliary material producer are expected to produce 1 million masks within 20 days, according to Fashion Ningbo, the city's self-governed fashion industry association.
Local governments have fast-tracked approval for these companies to shift to producing medical gear, which took Dishang a mere 30 minutes in the city of Weihai.
China has rolled out a raft of measures to help boost the production of medical supplies including cutting red tape, tax relief and rent subsidies, as a further rise is expected in the already strong demand for protective gear with millions of people gradually returning to work this week.
More than 60 percent of medical supplies manufacturers in the textile industry have resumed production, said the China National Textile and Apparel Council.
Official data showed more than 76 percent of mask production capacity and 77 percent of protective suit capacity in China's 22 provincial regions had been resumed by Monday.
To encourage the production of key medical supplies including masks, Chinese authorities have pledged that the government would be the ultimate buyer if the market could not consume all the products, calling on manufacturers to put aside overcapacity concerns and work at maximum strength.
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses