(Yicai) March 18 -- China's Ministry of Commerce will implement a series of measures to help export-oriented companies expand their domestic sales channels to mitigate the impact of external factors, according to an official report.

The MOFCOM plans to establish a platform to facilitate domestic market entry for exporters, focusing on channels, brands, supply-demand, and standardization alignment, China Media Group's WeChat commentary account Yuyuan Tantian reported, citing an informed source.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao visited Shanghai-based textile exporter Oriental International Holding last week to assess the efforts required to redirect foreign trade products to the domestic market, the source noted.

Exporters transitioning to domestic sales have significant growth potential, according to analysts. This year, the MOFCOM will launch nationwide campaigns, such as the Foreign Trade Premium China Tour, to build domestic sales platforms for exporters, covering 10 major economic provinces and municipalities, including Shanghai.

The MOFCOM will safeguard issues critical to exporters, such as payment collection, and promote the integration of domestic and foreign trade as a long-term strategy, not a temporary response to external pressures, analysts believe.

Chinese authorities, including the MOFCOM, summoned Walmart executives last week, after the US retail giant allegedly pressured Chinese suppliers to lower prices after the US hiked import tariffs on China-made products. On March 12, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Textiles urged major US retailers to address international trade issues fairly and reasonably.

The textile and apparel industries remain vital categories of Chinese exported products to the US despite the profit margin of Chinese textile and apparel companies' exports to the US having narrowed in recent years.

According to the General Administration of Customs, China's textile and apparel exports rose 2.8 percent to USD301.1 billion last year from the year before, with exports to the US accounting for about 17 percent of China's total and 24 percent of the US total of such products.

Editor: Futura Costaglione