Foreign trade companies in Gongshu district, Hangzhou hold an open fair in April and May. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]

Foreign trade companies in Gongshu district, Hangzhou are gradually overcoming difficulties brought about by the epidemic due to strong policy support, local media reported on June 4.

Statistics show that 26 companies regarded as having promising development potential received 2.28 million yuan ($320,156) in financial aid in total, another 115 companies engaged in the trade service industry received subsidies of 222,100 yuan, and 434 companies obtained a 50-percent reduction in their credit insurance for generating an annual export volume of less than $5 million.

Ruiqing is an optical manufacturing company which originally focused on sunglasses. Though the company's business plunged as the COVID-19 epidemic outbreak in January adversely affected the entire market, a silver lining appeared when demand for goggles surged, as the company is experienced in manufacturing this kind of personal protective equipment.

Gongshu district helped the company secure an order of 100,000 pairs of goggles for the provincial public security department and center of disease control and prevention.

As the situation overseas took a turn for the worse in March, the company began selling its products on the international market, and Gongshu district also played an active role in helping the company, such as rolling out lists of materials in need and providing export channels.

The company exported more than 1.5 million pairs of goggles to South Korea in March and realized sales of nearly 20 million yuan, almost the same as the company's annual sales last year.