While China-based TFT-LCD panel makers have reportedly asked the China government to increase customs duties on imported 32-inch and above TV panels from 5% currently to 8% or even 12%, China Video Industry Association vice president Bai Weimin has indicated at the 2013 Display Taiwan exhibition that the government has had no time schedule for doing so.
The increase in duties would give local panel makers in China a competitive edge in pricing over panel makers not located in the nation and would most likely affect either the end pricing of TVs or panel makers' shipments. However, Bai said there is currently no time schedule by the government to increase the duties, which should not affect TV sales in the short term.
Additionally, industry sources said that second-tier TV vendors have been turning to more panel makers in China for low-priced TV panels, but that panel makers both in Taiwan and China hope to further bump up relations in the future.
Some market observers, however, believe that China-based panel makers are going to have a big advantage in the China market regardless of duties increasing, as there will be eight 8G lines in operation in China by 2015 that will reportedly produce 46-, 48- and 55-inch panels in addition to 32-inch units.
Meanwhile, Bai recently said that China-based TV vendors will procure approximately 30 million LCD TV panels from Taiwan-based panel makers.
Article translated by Alex Wolfgram
