【正文】
Chinese central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBC) stated that, based on current economic conditions, it had decided to “proceed further with reform of the RMB exchange rate regime and to enhance the RMB exchange rate flexibility.” It ruled out any large onetime revaluations, stating “it is important to avoid any sharp and massive fluctuations of the RMB exchange rate,” in part so that Chinese corporations could more easily adjust (such as through upgrading) to an appreciation of the currency. Many observers contend the timing of the RMB announcement was intended in part to prevent China’s currency policy from being a central focus of the G20 summit in Toronto from June 2627, 2020. On June 22, 2020, the RMB appreciated by % against the dollar (to yuan) over the previous day, which, at the time, was the largest daily rise since reforms were implemented in July 2020. However, on the following day (June 23) it depreciated to yuan. As indicated in Figure 3, the yuan’s exchange rate with the dollar has gone up and down over the past few months, but overall, it has appreciated by % through October 1, 2020, with most of that appreciation occurring in September. 3 Some analysts contend that the appreciation of the currency in September 2020 has had more to do with Chinese concerns over possible congressional action on the currency than economic considerations. In spite of the substantial job losses, the US TC industry remains technologically advanced partly due to increased productivity resulting from advances in technology and design capabilities. Textile production is capital intensive and modern technology is essential to meet the increasing for highquality products. Over the last few years, US textiles and apparel firms have substantially increased their investment to maintain modern manufacturing facilities as well as improve production and marketing capabilities in order to maximize their inherent advantages to market proximity. In apparel, low skill production jobs have moved to lowcost locations offshore while the more skilled ones have been retained. To successfully adapt to the new environment, US TC industries need to capitalize on their sources of petitive advantage. They need to develop a more flexible operational arrangement, meet high standards in product innovation and generally develop a more changeseeking business culture (Kilduff, 2020). An important survival tool for US TC firms is to expand their potential market by offering new product designs and product categories. Manufacturers must try to bring a steady stream of products to market that are in line with the taste, preferences of the consumer. They can also expand their market potential by offering new product categories. Two of the fastest growing apparel segments in the US, for example, have been the women’s plus and men’s big and tall segments (Driscoll, 2020). Plussize apparel marketing was estimated at $47 billion in 2020 accounting for 20% of total apparel market. It is important to identify the firm’s target customers and assess whether the firm is successfully addressing their needs. US