100 African companies sign up
July 24, 218
By Joseph S. Margai in Shanghai
CIIE Bureau’s Ms. Zhong Xiaomin (second left) plans ahead of the Expo
Deputy Director General of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) Bureau, Ms. Zhong Xiaomin, has informed journalists that over 100 African companies have already signed up for the event that is to be held in Shanghai this November.
Speaking Thursday, 19th July, at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai, she said the 100 companies are coming from 38 African countries.
She noted that China wants to share the experience of her progress with countries around the world, adding that CIIE is a bold step taken by the Chinese government to open up its market to the world.
“This is also a platform where countries will show what they can produce to the rest of the world. It is China’s wiliness and determination to expand export. The participatory countries are those from developing and least developing economies. The President of Kenya, among other presidents, will be attendance,” she disclosed.
Ms. Zhong revealed that at the initial stage of the preparation for CIIE, they apportioned space of 210,000 square metres for the exhibition, but as more participating countries continued to show interest and they didn’t want to leave anyone out, thus has increased the space to 270,000 square metres.
She noted that many countries in Asia and the Pacific have also signed up to participate in the Expo, which will last for six days.
“Invitation for buyers is well underway, but as we speak thirty-nine local buyer groups have signed up. We will also invite premium overseas buyers via variety of channels. Arrangement or advertisement for this event is also done at the various Chinese embassies in the participatory countries,” she said.
She said they are working towards economic globalisation and free trade and that CIIE would eventually allow participatory countries to take a ride on the train of Chinese economic growth.
CIIE’s Bureau Head of Sales and Marketing Department, Gao Zhiqiang, said the Chinese government was aware that many African countries are currently enjoying rapid economic growth.
She said they have developed serious preferential policies for some of the companies and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from weak economic African countries.
“One of such preferential policies is to give them free exhibition space during this event. We had already carried out promotion campaigns in African countries and they have some distinctive products that the Chinese and foreign buyers will be interested in,” she said.
She noted that CIIE would create an avenue for investment and business cooperation for participating developing and least developed companies, adding that they would also help them identify suitable partners.
Counselor Liu Yutong, Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who led the delegation of journalists, told officials of CIIE Bureau that some 48 journalists from Africa and Asia present were at the briefing, noting that the journalists are living, studying and working in China for 10 months.
Liu recalled that in one of President Xi Jinping’s statement, he mentioned that the doors of China’s opening up would never be closed as China, African and Asian countries are on a win-win cooperation basis.
“This Expo will be closely associated with countries that these journalists came from. I want to state here that China’s prosperity could bring opportunities for all countries in the world especially those of developing and least developing economies,” he said.
Cross section of Journalists at the briefing in Shanghai