'Quick rebound' foreseen after outbreak subsides

The novel coronavirus epidemic will not alter the fundamentals of China's foreign trade, foreign investment and core position within the global industrial chain from a long-term perspective, commerce officials and business leaders said.

Even though China's foreign trade, foreign investment and consumption have been hit by the outbreak, this impact will gradually ease once the virus is contained in China, said Xian Guoyi, director-general of the Ministry of Commerce's Department of Trade in Services and Commercial Services.

"Production and consumption will return to normal in China after the epidemic," he said, adding that more companies will replenish inventory and individuals will consume products in a restorative or even compensatory manner.

Denis Depoux, managing director for China of the global consultancy Roland Berger, said, "Based on the experience from the SARS crisis, we can foresee a quick rebound of the Chinese economy in terms of recovery of inventory, restocking demand, uplift of consumption of goods and services after the freeze."