HANOI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The China International Import Expo (CIIE), with its fourth edition currently taking place in China's economic hub of Shanghai, is a precious opportunity for global manufacturers and exporters offered by China, a Vietnamese participant said.
"Thanks to the expo, we can both maintain our relationship with old customers in China and find many potential ones regardless of COVID-19 restrictions," Ta Ngoc Hung, chief executive officer (CEO) at the Vietnamese agricultural manufacturer and exporter Vinapro told Xinhua.
Having been participating CIIE since 2019, the company specializing in exporting goods such as high-quality coffee, pepper, cinnamon, dried ginger and cashew nuts will also take part in the online exhibition this year with thorough preparation, the CEO said.
The company had its sampling goods successfully delivered to Shanghai in October and has completed arranging them at the exhibition site.
As a three-term veteran, Vinapro is now very experienced in taking advantage of the event and "has set a goal of reaching more potential clients" than ever, the company's representative said confidently.
"From our observation, China is a market with tremendous potential for agricultural products, especially cashew nuts, pepper and cinnamon. These are also our key exporting items to the market," Hung told Xinhua.
According to the CEO, the business opportunities brought by CIIE are even more precious given the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hindered trade activities across the world.
"It embodies China's willingness to open to the world in the role of an active promoter of international trade cooperation," Hung said, adding that "as a foreign exporter, we really appreciate the precious opportunities, especially during pandemic time, and will take part in CIIE annually."
Since its debut in 2018, CIIE has acted as a significant platform for international procurement, investment promotion, cultural exchange, and open cooperation. This year, nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions are attending the global trade gala in Shanghai.
From a more collective view, the grand expo is of great importance to foreign exporters globally, especially Vietnamese ones, a representative from Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade commented.
"As they (the manufacturers and exporters) cannot go anywhere to promote their products during the pandemic, the expo is a wide-open door for them to connect with the world," Luong Minh Thang, a senior coordinator at the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency under the ministry told Xinhua.
Despite having to join the expo online due to COVID-19 developments recently, "several participants gave their feedbacks that they have found many potential customers and therefore expanded their exports," said Thang, who have supported hundreds of Vietnamese firms joining CIIE over the years.
China's move to stimulate domestic consumption by importing more from overseas is benefiting its trade partners, Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade said in a press release sent to Xinhua recently.
Via CIIE, it can promote exports of key items including agricultural and fishery goods, which Vietnam has production competitiveness to provide at a reasonable price and with high quality. Meanwhile these goods are in high demand in China, according to the ministry.
Vietnam will also benefit from being the import-export gateway between China and ASEAN, the ministry noted.
According to the Chinese Embassy in Vietnam, trade value between China and the Southeast Asian country surged nearly 35 percent on year during January-August, reaching nearly 150 billion U.S. dollar despite the severe impact of the pandemic. China continued to be the largest trade partner and the largest import market of Vietnam in the mentioned period.
Acknowledging the significance of the expo, the Vietnamese side has long considered it as an opportunity to bolster trade facilitation and develop foreign trade. Over the years, high-level delegations accompanied by hundreds of enterprises have attended CIIE, the ministry noted.
This year, over 100 Vietnamese firms will attend the fourth CIIE via online tools, focusing on agro-fishery and processed foods and a number of potential export products of Vietnam, according to the ministry.
Regarding offline participation, about 30 Vietnamese companies have confirmed their presence at this year's event, CIIE organizers updated on their website. In the past three editions of the CIIE, a total of 102 Vietnamese companies displayed their products across nearly 3,245 square meters of exhibition area.
Apart from firms' gathering, Vietnam will also take part in the online country exhibition of the fourth CIIE with the goal of promoting the national image, culture, tourism, and typical economic achievements to a large number of Chinese and international visitors. Enditem
Link for reference: http://www.news.cn/english/2021-11/05/c_1310292630.htm
Author: XUAN NGUYEN - XINHUA NET
