China is endeavoring to compile its first quality "dictionary" for suitcase and bag export companies, Wang Zhongqi,China Chamber of Commerce for Imports and Exports of Light Industrial Products and Arts-Crafts (CCCLA) vice president told Xinhua on Monday.

At an expert and entrepreneuros panel workshop organized by the CCCLA over the weekend in Shanghai, discussion centered on formulating the country's first technical guidance booklet for suitcase and bag export companies. This was seen as a preemptive move by the government and the industry to enhance the quality of exported goods.

"To compile a useful technical guidance booklet can give tangible help to those export companies and is conducive to the industry's development for the long run," said Wang, adding the long-term aim was to build a better "made in China" image.

The booklet would cover the quality and safety standards differences between domestic and overseas markets, important technical regulations, testing procedures and industry standards of main target markets, and how to deal with the technical barriers in global trade.

As the world's largest suitcase and bag manufacturer, China exported $10.81 billion of product globally in 2007, up 24.21 percent year on year, said Huang Daqi, China Chamber of Commerce for Imports and Exports of Suitcases and Bags secretary general.

The country's exported suitcases and bags accounted for more than 33 percent of the global market. The United States and the European Union were the major customers, she added.

Suitcase and bag exports to the United States in 2007 stood at $2.85 billion, while the European Union topped $2.83 billion.

"The toy recall incident last year tarnished the image of 'made in China' products, so it is crucial for us to take preventive measures on the quality control on Chinese suitcase and bag exports," Shi Lili, a Ministry of Commerce Department of Foreign Trade official told Xinhua.

Yang Wanshan, a General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) official, said although suitcases and bags were not subject to legal inspection domestically, it was better to take precautions rather than receive complaints from overseas customers first.

Pierre Beaupoil, general manager of the Shanghai branch for the French CTC company, a research and testing service provider, said if Chinese export companies could grasp the relevant regulations of the European Union on quality and safety standards, it would be easier for them to deal with technical barriers.

Shi Jihong, chairman of the Pinghu-based Newcomer Industries Co Ltd in eastern Zhejiang Province, added: "In the past, because there was no nationwide industry technical guidance, we had to yield to different safety and quality requirements put forward by various customers."

He said domestic manufacturers would raise prices if the requirements from the customer side were high. Domestic exporters might also lose purchase orders, adding that with the nationwide technical guidance coming into being, export companies would have more negotiation power.

Huang said the China Chamber and relevant governmental agencies were making efforts to turn the industry's technical guidance into a national standard in future.

Customs figures showed the country imported $354 million of suitcases and bags in 2007, up 50.71 percent year on year.

Huang said the import growth rate of suitcases and bags had exceeded the export rate, so a national standard applicable for both exported and imported goods would better protect Chinese consumers' interest.

In a similar development, the CCCLA accepted an application from the Pinghu city government to establish the Chinese suitcase and bag industry base in the coastal city.

Wang introduced that the CCCLA and the local government would strengthen product safety and quality supervision and raise the environmental protection threshold for local enterprises.

Pinghu Mayor Sheng Quansheng called on local suitcase and bag exporters to shift their focus on getting market share by lower prices to building better company brands and industry upgrading.

The AQSIQ's Yang told a group of leading domestic exporters that the first-class enterprises were able to formulate the industry standards, and the second-class enterprises were targeted at building their brands. The third-tier enterprises were busy turning out product.

Shi Yunliang, the city's vice mayor, urged the more than 500 local suitcase and bag enterprises to enhance their social responsibility and quality awareness.

James Wang, general manager of the Shanghai-based Newest Luggage Co Ltd, a leading domestic suitcase and bag exporter, said the company invested more than one million yuan ($140,700) last year to update its computer-based research and development, processing control and production automation process.

"Our company even provided education and training to our material suppliers to better control product quality. This is because most of our products were sold on the European market and had stringent quality and safety requirements."