The Summer Universiade, which is to begin on Saturday, is being touted by the Taipei City Government as an opportunity to promote Taiwanese firms to the world, but much of the games’ official merchandise has been manufactured in China.
The games’ official merchandise is divided into nine categories, including clothing, accessories, souvenirs, collectibles, stationery, personal products, consumer electronics, gift packages and others. This is divided into 165 subcategories for a total of 520 items.
A number of products at a souvenir shop in Taipei City Hall were labeled “Made in China,” the majority of which depicted the event’s mascot, Bravo, including a NT$80 (US$2.64) coaster, a NT$99 badge, a NT$120 cloth badge, a NT$120 smartphone stand, a NT$149 silicon purse, a NT$150 key chain, a NT$220 embroidered name tag, a NT$250 stirrer, a NT$290 tote bag, a NT$390 fragrant candle, a NT$550 container and two plush Bravo toys priced at NT$550 and NT$680 respectively.
Photo: Chou Yen-yu, Taipei Times
A selection of coins have been minted, the cheapest of which, at NT$25, are made in China and the most expensive of which, at NT$68,000 and made from pure gold, are made in Taiwan.
In general, Chinese manufactures were lower-range goods.
The Taipei Universiade Organizing Committee Marketing and Communication Department said about 30 percent of the products were manufactured in China.
The contract between the Taipei Universiade Organizing Committee and Taiwan-based Cheerful Fashion Goods — the games’ official merchandise manufacturer — does not contain any terms governing the country of manufacture, department director Chuo Chien-hung (卓建宏) said.
The percentage of merchandise made in China falls within the expected range, Chuo said, adding that all items them were designed in Taiwan.
The company might have outsourced manufacturing to Chinese factories, which are likely operated by Taiwanese, he said.
Cheerful Fashion Goods chief executive officer Hou Sheng-tun (侯勝敦) said that all of the merchandise would have been made in China if it had it not been for disadvantaged people, charity groups and social enterprises joining the manufacturing process.
His company has no right to bar such local organizations from producing some of the merchandise, Hou added.
Where materials could not be sourced locally or Taiwanese factories were unable to manufacture an item, production was outsourced to China, he said.
“However, we tried to ensure that the products made in Chinese factories are run by Taiwanese to ensure quality control and support Taiwanese enterprises,” he said.
According to the licensing agreement, the Taipei City Government is entitled to 12 percent of Cheerful Fashion Goods’ proceeds from merchandise sales for the first NT$20 million in earnings, 10 percent for earnings between NT$20 million and NT$60 million and 8 percent for earnings that surpass NT$60 million to encourage the company to boost sales, Chuo said.
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