Cooperation summit to bring new growth opportunities

The country's largest international fair for small and medium-sized enterprises remains vigorous amid the lingering pandemic, and is expected to enhance global investor confidence in China, said senior officials.

The 17th China International SMEs Fair, or CISMEF, is being held from today to Sept 19 in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province.

"CISMEF has been developed as an important arena for SMEs from home and abroad to display, transact, exchange and cooperate over the past 16 years," said Wang Xi, vice-governor of Guangdong, in a news conference.

Visitors seek business opportunities at the 16th China International SMEs Fair in Guangzhou, Guangdong province. CHINA DAILY

Thanks to China's stringent measures to effectively curb the spread of COVID-19 domestically, the fair is being held as planned after being rescheduled from 2020 to this year. "Via the fair people will be able to see China's sound economic situation, which is bound to increase the confidence of the investors," Wang noted.

Covering an exhibition area of 80,000 square meters at the Canton Fair Complex, located on the island of Pazhou in Guangzhou, the fair features 3,000 booths, more than expected 2,500.

Domestic exhibitors take up roughly 2,500 stands, which mainly focus on the industrial fields of smart manufacturing and artificial intelligence, equipment manufacturing, electronic information, bio-medicine, and food and agricultural products, according to the organizing committee.

Participants attend the opening ceremony of the fair in 2019. CHINA DAILY

Company quality is being stressed in this session with nearly 1,000 stands, or about 80 percent of all Chinese exhibitors, recognized as industrial leaders at both State and province levels, Wang said.

They are leading in either special technologies, fine products and techniques, unique products or services, or innovation in technology or production modes, he added.

In the overseas exhibition area, foreign-funded companies from 35 countries and regions, including Germany, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, The United Arab Emirates and Iran, take up a total of 468 stands, according to the organizing committee.

Thailand is the co-host country of CISMEF again for this session, 10 years after its first go in 2011. It has arranged for more than 50 companies to attend the fair, acquiring a total of 1,600 sq m of exhibition area.

"Despite relevant measures on travel restrictions, I would like to inform you that at the Thailand Pavilion, we are proud of bringing varieties of our Thai products which are well received in the Chinese market, ranging from food and beverages, lifestyle goods, cosmetics and spa products as well as hospitalities and services from 54 Thai enterprises," said Natenapa Kongsri, consul-general of Thailand in Guangzhou, at a recent news conference.