Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on foreign trade and countermeasures

The COVID-19 global pandemic has spread to more than 200 countries, and with its epicenter in the developed economies of Europe and America, it has become a major event influencing the international political and economic landscape in this century. At early stage of the pandemic outbreak in China, transnational corporations evacuated their personnel from China, factories were closed and out of production, stores, restaurants, and hotels were not in service, products could not be delivered on time, and foreign orders had to be cancelled one after another. At early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, with the Spring Festival affected, foreign orders were cancelled, some countries took trade protection measures against China, import and export of trade in goods decreased, and trade surplus was narrowed. Contemporary digital technology development has promoted digital innovation, digital production, and digital services in enterprises, and it has also accelerated global digital consumption. © 2021 selection and editorial matter, Cai Fang.