Investigation on the C-TPAT performance of apparel manufacturers in China

In November 2001, U. S. Customs & Border Protection introduced Custom-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), which was a voluntary program for the enhancement of global supply chain security, facilitation of compliant cargo and conveyances of entering the United States. This research investigated the C-TPAT performance of 103 Chinese apparel manufacturers by distributing questionnaires. Results proved that only two thirds of sampled manufacturers could score half of the total scores and meet the C-TPAT requirements, and the sampled manufacturers employing higher number of employees generally had better performance in C-TPAT. To some extent, the results predicted that the entry of smaller apparel manufacturers to the United States market in the future would be probably denied, and a new kind of trade barrier was forming.