What is the reason behind the migration of manufacturing units to China?
The development of Chinese diamond manufacturing is actually an evolution over the last 15 years. I believe there are two main reasons, one is China’s current stable economic and social environment, and the other is the combination of lower cost of labour and skilled craftsmen. The craftsmanship has been developed swiftly to effectively support diamond manufacturing. How do you foresee the growth of diamond manufacturing in China? Diamond manufacturing is likely to continue to grow in China at an aggressive rate to serve both export and domestic markets. At present there are about 20,000 cutting and polishing workers in about 140 diamond manufacturing facilities in China. More favourable tax regimes will no doubt result in more JV manufacturing companies being set up in China in the short to medium term. Do you think that China will be able to overtake India? No. They are two very different situations. China has come a long way in diamond manufacturing but still lacks the skills in han
