SHANGHAI, Dec. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Better Life and Beyond"-themed Belt &
Road Brand Expo 2017 came to a successful close at the Shanghai
Exhibition Center on December 10,
2017.
As the first edition of the event, the 10,000-square-meter
exhibition assembled under one roof over 160 companies from 26
countries and regions, among them the host country, China, as well as Australia, Croatia, Cuba, the Czech
Republic, the Dominican
Republic, Ecuador,
Greece, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Japan,
Kazakhstan, Latvia, Mauritius, the
Netherlands, Nepal,
Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, South
Africa, South Korea,
Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey. Exhibitors from around the world
showcased their best products, technologies and cultural artifacts
in the food and beverage, cosmetics and skin care, handicrafts,
home improvement, jewelry and gems,
fashion and accessories, lifestyle, tourism and culture, as well as
investment and trade sectors.
The upcoming China International Import Expo in 2018 was
announced at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation
held in Beijing in May 2017, further evidencing China's determination to continue its efforts
in opening up its market to the
world. Recently rolled-out policies are providing companies with
investment and trade support as well as creating a friendly legal
business environment that assists them in expanding on their
globalization efforts. All of these actions are aligned with the
guidelines of the Chinese government's One Belt, One Road Initiative. At the same time, the high level
of engagement among professional buyers as well as by general
visitors at the event reflected the new momentum in China's liberalization of trade.
The Iran exhibition zone had on
display hand-knitted Persian carpets, a
handicraft dated back to as long as 260 years ago. In
addition to carpets on display with lifelike images woven into the
pattern reflecting the superior level of skill, Iranian companies
also provided customized carpets, frames and cushions that meet the
differing preferences of home owners, renters and decorators.
Several Iranian exhibitors who attended a Chinese exhibition for
the first time were deeply impressed by the huge market and high
purchasing power of China's
consumers. They quickly became cognizant of the vast potential
behind the business opportunity and the enhanced access to the
favorable business environment in China by participating in the event. High-end
fine hand-knitted carpets that are well suited to enhance the decor
of a Chinese home were on display, while affordable middle-end
machine-made carpets attracted much attention from professional
buyers. During the expo, the Iranian exhibitors showcased Persian
culture as well as the country's centuries-old handicraft art with
the aim of providing Chinese consumers with access to products
embodying Iran's culture.
Attendees had an opportunity to enjoy the aroma of Ceylon black
tea from Sri Lanka. The island
country's exhibitors said the popularity of Ceylon tea among Chinese consumers has
continued to increase over last few years. Show visitors were
provided an opportunity to sample the many flavors of the black
tea. The exhibitors observed a strong preference for the tea among
Shanghai-based visitors and, as a
result, plan to focus on expanding their presence in Shanghai. An exhibitor from the island nation
who engages primarily in Sri Lankan cotton products noted that it
was his first visit to Shanghai,
however, the positive feedback the exhibitor received during the
three-day exhibition made him feel that he had found an exciting
new market for his products. Consequently, he plans to open an
online store working with one of the cross-border e-commerce firms,
targeting the local Shanghai
market. Sri Lankan sapphires showcased at a booth, despite the
booth's non-prominent location, still drew an immense crowd and
attention.
Pakistan-based companies
displayed their handicraft and jade creations that feature the
country's national colors. An exhibitor from the South Asian
country said their presence at the event allowed Shanghainese
shoppers to gain direct access to Pakistani specialty products,
while his hand-made rosewood furniture on display received many
positive comments from buyers and visitors passing by the booth. He
said that he believes the One Belt, One Road initiative is sure to
create more business opportunities for companies in
Pakistan.
Russian exhibitors said they made
contacts with more than 30 trading partners during the expo.
They showcased Russian ice cream, biscuits and puffed grains, all
of which drew the attention of visitors. The Russian exhibitors
explained that the event served as a networking platform that helps
them expand into the Chinese market. They plan to build a showroom
in Shanghai, where they will
showcase Russia's specialty
products as well as products that have a Russian cultural
basis.
A cigar agent from the Dominican
Republic said the event gave visitors an opportunity learn
about Shanghai-based companies
specializing in the promotion of the cigar culture. Leading
Dominican cigar masters were invited to put on an on-site cigar
rolling performance, drawing the attention of many visitors and
helping promote the culture that has grown up around the
cigar.
The event also proved successful for exhibitors from
Kazakhstan as they were able to
establish connections with leading Chinese e-commerce firms,
including JD.com and Suning.cn. They said they plan to work with
these Chinese firms to open online stores with the goal of
introducing organic and green products from the Central Asian
country into the Chinese market.
At the Poland exhibition zone,
the exhibits that attracted the most attention were those
displaying chrysophoron and beeswax, known in the Eastern European
country as "living gems". In addition to being presented with a
dizzying array of accessories, visitors were given an opportunity
to get a close look at the country's signature products. The Polish
exhibitors said they experienced better-than-expected outcomes and
plan to attend future editions of the event, adding that they would
come regardless of whether subsequent events are held in
Shanghai or elsewhere in
China.
Exhibitors from Mauritius
provided visitors an opportunity to taste their specialty rums, a
product that has been proving to be an online sensation. An
executive from a participating Mauritius-based company said, even as he first
entered the business at quite a young age, he had already become
aware of the enthusiasm that Chinese shoppers has expressed about
Mauritian rums and was confident about his expansion into
China.
Exquisite thangkas were on display at the Nepal exhibition zone. Skilled painters
delivered an on-site drawing performance with natural mineral
pigments of different colors, leaving a deep impression on
attendees. Additionally, the on-site wood carving performance and
the showcase of Buddha sound bowls were events that drew large
crowds. Attendees expressed their interest in the Kopi Luwak or
civet coffee displayed at the Indonesia exhibition zone, while giving high
praise to the preservative-free seven-layer honey cakes made
primarily from honey and walnuts after tasting them in the area
reserved for exhibitors from the Czech
Republic. The exhibitors who had established online stores
on Taobao.com, China's leading
online marketplace for retailers, saw the traffic to their store
skyrocket as a result of their presence at the expo. Roses from
Ecuador, among other little-known
products displayed at the exhibition, gave attendees a chance to
get a real and authentic sense of the culture, customs and
lifestyles that define each of the 26 countries participating in
the event.
Chinese companies were the main exhibitors in the enterprise
pavilions, with product displays from companies located in Ordos
(Inner Mongolia), Huzhou (Zhejiang
Province), Hong Kong and
Taiwan being featured. Bright Food
Group and its subsidiary Shanghai Tangjiu Group, Shanghai Yimin
Commercial Group, Liangyou Group, Bright Dairy & Food and
Shanghai Maling Aquarius each had exhibits. The Shanghai Federation
of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives teamed up with the city's
time-honored brands to showcase their products. In the role of both
traders and exhibitors, they sought opportunities in terms of
networking, exchanges and partnerships with companies participating
in the event.
During the expo, a comprehensive series of concurrent events
were held, including 12 forums and promotional conferences, several
of which were hosted by consul generals, commercial attachés and
other official representatives of countries with a presence in
Shanghai, with a focus on
investment and trade, tourism and culture as well as education in
the folkloric traditions of each of the participating countries.
The planned events included nearly 50 business matching sessions,
attended by leading supermarket brands, including Bailian Group,
RT-Mart, Auchan, Metro, JD.com,
Suning.cn and Yhd.com, as well as several other leading Chinese
e-commerce companies. Some sessions featured exotic performances
that delivered an education in the tea and incense ceremonies that
prevailed during the Han Dynasty. A few specialized events focused
on scenario-based and "hands-on" experiences with many of the
products on display throughout the expo.
The three-day event brought together companies from across the
world with the aim of leveraging the opportunities created by the
One Belt, One Road Initiative
as well as building an international platform for China and countries targeted by the Initiative where they could display
their high-quality specialty products, engage in cultural exchanges
with other participating countries at the event as well as
generally promote trade exchanges and other forms of cooperation.
Future editions of the event will be committed to
showcasing branding products
from a wider range of countries and providing visitors with an even
more diverse set of exotic experiences. In addition to helping
Chinese companies expand beyond the home market and introducing
products from around the world, the event shares the vision of the
One Belt, One Road initiative while responding to the expectation
among Chinese consumers for an enhanced standard of
living.
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SOURCE Shanghai International Exhibition Co., Ltd.