The Chinese textile industry is undergoing a deep transformation from scale expansion to high-quality development, and the governance logic of its trade associations is also being upgraded. On July 1, the CPC Committee of CNTAC held a themed Party day activity involving over 700 members, focusing not on traditional capacity or trade issues, but on how a 'correct view of performance' can be implemented to enhance association service capabilities. This signals a shift for industry organizations from policy transmitters to active builders of the industrial ecosystem.
Party Building and Governance: Dual Signals from Ceremony to Institutionalization
The activity included three ceremonial segments: oath-taking for new Party members, presentation of '50 Years of Party Membership' medals, and the granting of seals to newly adjusted grassroots Party organizations. It covered all age groups from newcomers to veterans. The main venue, linked to 42 branch venues, also reflects CNTAC's organizational penetration. Secretary Sun Ruizhe's lecture explicitly stated that high-quality association development 'fundamentally relies on Party leadership, and the key is Party building.' He summarized paths to transform political advantages into governance efficiency, including adhering to service for the overall situation, demand orientation, and systematic thinking.
For textile enterprises, this means future industry policy coordination, standard setting, and international engagement will be more aligned with Party policy directions rather than purely market-driven operations. The association is establishing an evaluation system based on 'correct performance view,' requiring companies to better align their projects with long-term industry strategies when seeking association support.
Three Risk Warnings: A Mirror of Industry Pain Points
Secretary Sun specifically highlighted three 'performance view deviations' to guard against: pragmatism harming political stance, departmentalism impacting overall development, and short-termism affecting long-term growth. These are not empty political statements but direct reflections of current industry pain points.
- The pragmatism risk corresponds to companies or local associations prioritizing short-term gains over environmental compliance in technology promotion and capacity expansion.
- Departmentalism risk points to coordination difficulties between upstream and downstream segments—such as fabric suppliers versus apparel brands, or chemical fiber producers versus weaving mills—due to fragmented interests.
- Short-termism risk is particularly prominent amid recent export pressure and weak domestic demand: some companies abandon R&D for low-price volume strategies. If associations only focus on emergency services, they may exacerbate industry lock-in at the low end.
This essentially demands a shift from 'responsive service' to 'proactive leadership.' For example, in areas like green dyeing and functional fabrics requiring cross-chain collaboration, associations need to proactively build standard systems and technology matching platforms, rather than passively responding to enterprise needs.
Role Redefinition: Guide, Builder, Promoter, and Doer
Secretary Sun summarized the association's performance goals into four dimensions: being a guide for industry development through consensus building, a builder of the industrial ecosystem through standardizing the industry, a promoter of kinetic energy conversion through innovation leadership, and a doer of open innovation through international cooperation. This positioning is more proactive than the traditional 'bridge and bond' role—the association is no longer just a relay between government and enterprises, but must actively design industry rules, drive technology iteration, and lead international standard alignment.
For enterprises in textile clusters like Keqiao, Shengze, and Nantong, this means future association services will focus on three directions:
- First, improving industry standards and certification systems, especially in carbon footprint accounting and green fabric certification amid international trade barriers.
- Second, cross-regional industrial chain coordination, such as matching eastern technology output with central and western capacity.
- Third, interpreting international market rules and issuing risk warnings, particularly as new regulations like the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism take effect.