On March 7th, reports from domestic media revealed that Dong Mingzhu suggested the compulsory scrappage of old household appliances by the government, along with other viewpoints, including manufacturers subsidizing trade-ins for new appliances.
Dong Mingzhu, Chairperson and President of Gree Electric Appliances, reiterated her proposal for companies to independently subsidize trade-ins for old appliances and urged the swift establishment of mandatory standards for the safe service life of household appliances.
Advocating for the enhancement of product scrappage systems, Dong Mingzhu believes the household appliance industry should adopt safety standards similar to those in the automotive sector, where appliances serving beyond their designated lifespan may pose safety risks.
Furthermore, Dong Mingzhu emphasized that China's household appliance market has entered a peak period of upgrades, with the government once again proposing policies for "large-scale equipment renewal and consumer goods trade-ins for new ones."
However, previous initiatives such as the "Rural Appliance Promotion," "Energy Efficiency Subsidies," and "Trade-ins for New Appliances" have yielded positive effects in stimulating purchasing power and expanding consumption. Yet, they have also witnessed numerous unscrupulous companies exploiting policy loopholes, resulting in significant losses for the government and inadequate product quality for consumers.
Hence, in her proposal titled "Recommendations on Household Appliance Manufacturers Independently Subsidizing Trade-ins for New Appliances," Dong Mingzhu calls for: clear delineation of manufacturers' responsibilities in subsidizing trade-ins; reduction of excessive government subsidies; regulation of the second-hand appliance market; establishment of a robust system for recycling old household appliances; strengthened supervision and evaluation; and increased consumer engagement.
