Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Zhuhai-based Guangdong Techwoodn Co Ltd is attracting a great deal of attention at the 123rd session of the Canton Fair. [Photo courtesy soutchn.com]

Gree Electric Appliances of Zhuhai made a high-profile entrance to the 123rd China Import & Export Fair being held at the Guangzhou Pazhou Convention & Exhibition Center from April 15 to May 5, showing off its cutting-edge air conditioning technologies.

Also known as the Canton Fair, the event is the largest of its kind in China. Divided into three phases, it is co-hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and the government of Guangdong Province, and organized by the China Foreign Trade Centre.

Zhuhai's 1,731 exhibitors represent 182 local enterprises. Of them, 134 are private enterprises with 430 booths provided for them, which reflects Zhuhai's strong support for the private economy and foreign trade development.

Famous companies such as Jinpin Electronic of Zhuhai SEZ, Elec-Tech International Co Ltd, Print-Rite Holdings, and Eastcompeace Technology are displaying their latest products and technological capabilities.

Five other competitive firms such as Zhuhai Kohler Kitchen Products are attending the fair for the first time, hoping to establish a foreign market network.

Gree, with headquarters in Xiangzhou District of Zhuhai, is one of the world's largest air conditioner manufacturers.

The company is a loyal exhibitor at the Canton Fair, taking it as an important platform to release new products and seek potential buyers, said Ouyang Jun, deputy general manager of Gree's overseas sales department. Its sixth-generation multi-split air conditioner with artificial intelligence control has drawn worldwide attention and is expected to be another star Gree product, Ouyang added.

Thanks to the constant pursuit of independent innovation, Gree, now with competitive R&D capacity, is able to popularize its brand at home and abroad. The company is expected to achieve double-digit growth year-on-year in the first quarter of this year, according to a spokesperson.

Currently, Gree has a global production network with bases in Brazil, Pakistan and other countries. Its products are used in more than 160 countries and regions by more than 300 million people. It enjoyed a growth rate of 20 percent in export volume in 2017.

Ouyang pointed out that Gree products are particularly favored by markets along the Belt & Road where their technological innovations bring new convenience and benefits.