In light of the recent trade spat between China and the US, an executive for Coca-Cola's Asian division voiced out a piece of advice to President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping, on how to finally end the conflict using only the influence of social media.
Curtis Ferguson, the president of Coca-Cola's division for Greater China and Korea, called out for Trump on Wednesday saying that the POTUS should consider changing his leadership style and take inspiration from his Chinese counterpart. Ferguson also suggested that the American leader should start using a messaging app to conduct talks in the hope that it could finally end the dispute.
During the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, China, the soda drink executive told reporters from CNBC that most businesses conducted in China were being done through the social media app called WeChat - a messaging, social media, and payment app wrapped in one. Developed by Chinese tech giant, Tencent, the internet application gained popularity quickly since its launch in 2011.
In his statement, Ferguson seems to suggest that the situation will alleviate faster if Trump should just go ahead and exchange WeChat accounts with the Chinese head of state. From there, they can discuss the matter right away.
Just this week, Trump announced tariffs on a new batch of Chinese goods with a total of USD$200 billion which will kick off by Sept. 24. In retaliation, China hit back with steep levies on USD$60 billion US imports.
Meanwhile, Ferguson expressed his hopes that the beverage company will be spared from the imminent effects of the China-US trade war especially that there are now speculations saying that China will fire up a campaign to ban US products, like Coke, from its regular consumers. The company official said that Coke has gradually become a household name in China and it would be a waste if this comes to pass.
Gaining Traction In the Chinese Market
A separate report from Yahoo said that the red and white company has invested heavily on its big to set roots in the world's second-largest economy.
Ever since it arrived within the borders, Coca-Cola now has more than 50,000 employees and 45 bottling facilities all over China. The company also has a research and development center operating in Shanghai.
Despite these figures, Ferguson still believes that the soda brand still has miles to go before it can successfully win the hearts of the Chinese populace. As of the recent estimates, Coca-Cola has about a 10 percent share of the non-alcoholic beverage market in China.
One of the measures that Coca-Cola has to implement, according to Ferguson, was to adapt the company's product line to the ever-changing demands of the Chinese consumers.
