Santo Domingo.- The alarm has sounded: products from China are unfairly competing with Dominican pars in the local market, said Dominican Exporter Association president Ricardo Koenig yesterday.

“It’s not possible that a country which increases its exports and increases its reserves every year maintains its current exchange rate as China does, to assure that their products reach the world at ridiculously low prices,” he said, affirming that local industries face unfair competition abroad and within the country as well.

He said products from countries such as China are invading Dominican Republic and traditional markets Dominican, with products which get many incentives, which must prompt the Dominican Government, together with other developing nations, to file a formal complaint before the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Koenig said the low prices on Chinese products destroy the national productive sector. He said while Asian countries are competitive because they have many subsidies, Dominican Republic doesn’t have any.

Price and quality

In that regard Furniture Industry Association (Asonainco) president Juan Jose Attias said many Dominican products have prices equal to those of foreign products and that there are many lines in which the quality of local products is much better. He said the country can compete in product quality, price and design.