Strcily’s visit to Taiwan was strongly criticized by China, which considers Taiwan to be its secessionary province. China’s Foreign Minister Wang I also told the Czech Republic’s second-highest constitutional official that China would force him to pay a high price for violating the one-China principle. Vystrčil refused to violate the agreements between the Czech Republic and China.
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Petrof, for which the Chinese market with a share of around 35 percent is a key market, is concerned that the deterioration of relations between the Czech Republic and China will have a negative impact on its further business in China. Petrof pianos are also manufactured in China under other brands, last year it was almost 6,000 instruments.
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“A customer for Beijing and the surrounding area has written to us that there is talk in China that the Chinese government wants to impose sanctions on the Czech Republic and its goods and that he does not have the ability to pay fines. He asked us to suspend the delivery, “said Ceral Petrof. Petrof had already prepared an expedition of tools. Petrof’s largest business partner in China, from the city of Ningpo, asked for an explanation of relations between the Czech Republic and China after Petrof.
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Petrof piano and piano factory.
Photo: Petr Horník, Právo
According to President Petrof, the dealers are waiting for everything to turn out, the situation in Czech-Chinese relations is unclear to them and they do not understand the gestures of various politicians. “They don’t know if we are their friends or their enemies. I am sorry that our diplomacy cannot unite and we take it away. It’s uncomfortable for us, “she said.
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Petrof now does not know whether at the end of October it will once again take part in the important international fair of musical instruments in Shanghai, which is the most important in the world. “We don’t know at all if we will be exhibiting there, if we will get visas,” said Ceral Petrof.
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This year’s Petrof economy is marked by a coronavirus pandemic. According to Ceralová Petrofová, the original sales plan at the level of 290 million crowns will not be fulfilled due to the pandemic. In May, the company estimated a decline against the plan by 40 to 50 percent, now it expects a reduction of about a fifth to the level of 230 million crowns. The smaller decrease is mainly due to good sales in the Czech Republic, Europe and Russia. Demand in China also began to recover in July.
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Last year, Petrof, which dates back to 1864, had a good year. The company increased its revenues by nine percent year-on-year to 310 million crowns, which was the best result in the last 11 years. The net profit was 11 million crowns.
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Petrof piano and piano factory.
Photo: Petr Horník, Právo
