Research Of Global Production Networks And Chinese Apparel Industry Upgrading

China has been the world's largest apparel production/exporting country since 1994, the apparel industry has made great contribution to the development of our national economy. At the same time, we should realize that there are still many problems in the development of Chinese apparel industry, such as low added-value, inadequacy of own brand, low design level and so on. Compared with the developed countries, we still have long distance. Most apparel enterprises take part in the global production networks according to OEM mechanism and low supplier identity, which is not conducive to the development of Chinese apparel industry, so the apparel industry should upgrade immediately.This article introduces the status quo and trends of research on the global production networks and global value chains theories. The author discusses the knowledge diffusion mechanism and industry upgrading mechanism in the production networks, and discusses the evolution of the global apparel production networks. Then the author uses the global production networks theories, according to the development of Chinese apparel industry, to analyze Chinese apparel industry's status in the global apparel production networks and to discuss the method and direction of the upgrading of Chinese apparel industry. At last, the author gives some policy suggestions. This article can provide theory reference for the further research of the Chinese apparel upgrading.