Canada highlights growing presence at Hainan consumer expo

China's top consumer products fair has put Canada in the spotlight this year, as the country of honor has brought its largest-ever delegation to the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in the country's southernmost island province of Hainan, underscoring both the opportunities in the Chinese market and Canada's rising aspiration to strengthen its presence.

Around 40 Canadian companies are showcasing products at the six-day expo, covering sectors from cosmetics and health products to agriculture and pet food.

Canada has attended every edition of the CICPE, but this year's turnout marks a significant step up.

Canadian businesses see Hainan's free trade port as a gateway to broader opportunities, with its policies offering foreign products a more efficient path into China and beyond.

"I think the Hainan Free Trade Port is a really wonderful place -- for someone like me, with a foreign product made in Canada -- to bring it in the land there, and then be able to plan how to get it to the rest of the world in the most tax-efficient way," said Greg Zeschuk, owner of the Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company.

Other Canadian firms are also eying deeper engagement, noting that favorable policies make Hainan an attractive base for long-term expansion.

"We've been here for six years. We see that this market is an amazing opportunity. And so whatever makes sense, both from a policy perspective, we are more than happy to entertain, if that means opening up a location in Hainan, which we would be excited to do as well. That's what we would do," said Schelling Yeh, CEO of Great Mountain Ginseng.

Local healthcare companies are strengthening supply chain links with Canada, with ginseng trade emerging as a key area of cooperation.

"We are the biggest buyer of Canadian ginseng in Hainan. The Hainan Free Trade Port's value-added processing tariff exemption delivers real gains for both sides. It cuts our costs, and for Canadian suppliers, it means stable growing orders all year round," said Qi Qi, business manager at Hainan Herbal Player Healthcare.

Under current rules, imported products that undergo at least 30 percent value-added processing in Hainan can enter the mainland tariff-free.

For Canadian exporters, that translates into lower costs, stronger partnerships, and wider access to China's vast consumer market.

The sixth CICPE opened on Monday in Haikou, capital of Hainan Province, attracting more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions.

The expo has expanded in scale, with an exhibition area of 143,000 square meters, up 13,000 square meters from the previous edition. International exhibits account for 65 percent of the total, an increase of 20 percentage points from last year. More than 200 new products are expected to make their debut, double last year's number and spanning fields including healthcare, jewelry and digital technology.

As China's first national-level exhibition centered on consumer goods, the CICPE is not only a window into new consumption trends, but also a gateway to the vast opportunities in China's large market.

Canada highlights growing presence at Hainan consumer expo

Canada highlights growing presence at Hainan consumer expo

A one-legged oriental white stork has managed to find its footing again after a custom-built prosthetic was fitted at a wildlife rescue center in north China. Staff there are now assessing whether this unique bionic bird is ready to be released back into the wild.

The stork was brought to the Sunshine Wildlife Rescue and Shelter Center in Tianjin Municipality back in 2024 with a severe injury after its left leg became entangled in netting. A resulting infection was so serious that amputation was required.

While staff at the center slowly nursed the bird back to health, it was initially determined that it would be unable to survive in the wild on a single leg. To change its future, the team searched for a solution that would eventually allow it to return to nature.

Last year, staff began experimenting with prosthetic designs, testing a range of materials including carbon fiber, plastic, and rubber. Each attempt improved the outcome, but the key challenge was developing a suitable “shock absorber” to make the prosthesis feel more natural to the stork and help it fully restore its movement.

Oriental white storks typically land and step with the front of the foot first, and walking naturally requires a strong upward rebound. To deal with this, the latest prosthetic developed by the teams incorporated a mechanical component to allow for finer adjustments while providing cushioning to support the bird as it walks.

"The internal compression rod and clasp system enables [the stork to have] micro-adjustments so that the stork is able to better get used to [walking with the prosthesis]. And the [prosthesis] can match the height of the stork's remaining leg while offering both walking support and shock absorption," said Li Zheng, a staff member at the Tianjin Wildlife Rescue and Domestication Breeding Center, as he showed off the final design.

The 17-centimeter-tall prosthesis is made from resin and silicone, and it is designed to weigh roughly the same as a normal bird leg. Its orange color was also chosen to help it blend in with its peers.

The breakthrough came on the morning of Wednesday, when staff carefully carried out the fitting. After nearly an hour-long, non-invasive procedure, the prosthesis was successfully installed.

Returning to its outdoor enclosure, the stork took some time to adjust and adapt to the new feeling. But, before long, it was soon seen attempting to step up onto a rocky formation with its new leg leading the way, and after a couple of shaky moments it appeared able to keep its balance.

Next, staff say they will monitor and assess how well the stork is acclimatizing to the brand new prosthetic. If they deem it can live and move normally, the bird will be released back into the wild at an appropriate time.

One-legged stork finds feet again after being fitted with custom prosthetic leg