ECCC Secretary-General Will Ao Delivered a Speech at IECIE

[2FIRSTS Summary Report] 

The IECIE Vape Show Indonesia was held at Jakarta International Expo on October 20th, 2022. At 13:00 local time in Indonesia (14:00 Beijing time), Will Ao, Secretary-General of China Electronics Chamber of Commerce’s Electronic Cigarette Professional Committee (narrator describes it as “ECCC”), presented an online utterance on the topic of Future Trend of China’s E-cigarette Industry: Compliance, Refinement, and Globalization. 

Will Ao giving a virtual speech

In his presentation, Ao revealed the scale of China’s e-cigarette industry in the form of on-site tables. He added that China’s total e-cigarette exports hit 138.3 billion yuan in 2021 and are predicted to reach 180 billion yuan in 2022, with a growth rate of 35%. Disposable vapes account for 65%, open tank systems for 17%, and pod vapes account for 8%. The primary export destinations are the United States, the European Union, Russia, the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. In China, there are over 800 e-cigarette manufacturers and brands, with more than 90% of them mainly involved in the export business. Approximately 100,000 e-cigarette supply chain and peripheral service enterprises operate across the whole industrial chain, encompassing batteries, vapor core, e-liquid, equipment manufacturing, brands, offline retail stores, cross-border e-commerce, etc.

Ao also elaborated on the compliance of Chinese e-cigarette firms, which has recently received increased attention both at home and abroad: Administrative Measures for Electronic Cigarette have been officially implemented since October 1 this year, and Chinese e-cigarettes have managed to enter the era of compliance and legality. According to the legislation, all e-cigarette market players (manufacturing, wholesale, and retail) require a license. E-cigarette products supplied in China have tight nicotine level limitations and are subject to analysis and evaluation via Technical Review Authority appointed by China State Tobacco Monopoly Administration before they may be marketed. His meticulous rendition of the incident elicited plaudits from the crowd at IECIE.

Will Ao giving a virtual speech

According to Ao, the ECCC acts as a liaison between the government and the private sector, playing a significant role in the drafting of regulations, the implementation of policies, enterprise compliance, and the sustainable development of the industry. The ECCC’s vision has invariably been global, urging the association to keep up with the trends and compete on a worldwide scale. To maintain close ties and strategic cooperation with vapor associations across the globe, the association recruits global talents, builds an international team, and establishes a Department for International Developments for regulatory compliance. Those associations hope to alleviate their members’ challenges and encourage them to use their strongest competitive edge to make their worldwide trip smoother.

Audience taking notes

While China produces 95% of the world’s e-cigarettes, technical innovation remains a primary priority for corporations while assuring production. Only continual product innovation and modification can boost consumer retention and open up a larger global market. In his speech, Ao highlighted that numerous Chinese e-cigarette firms are constructing GNP workshops and CNAS laboratories. Furthermore, various enterprises have expanded their investment in product research and development, safety, and quality, and an increasing number of companies will concentrate on compliance work, culminating in a leapfrog development in product quality.

Ao reckoned that the future global e-cigarette market is bound to develop into a new pattern of law-based, international, and standardized evolution. Only continuous innovation can keep e-cigarette products constantly updated and preempt development opportunities; Only high-quality security can see the e-cigarette industry take off; Only by remaining mindful of the red line, boasting the courage to bear the social responsibility of safeguarding minors, will the industry usher in a more healthy, orderly, and promising future.

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