Hainan consumer expo emerges as platform for competitive products, time-honored brands to go global

The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) is underway in Haikou City, south China's Hainan Province, highlighting the growing global competitiveness of Chinese brands and the country's expanding consumer market.

This year's CICPE has introduced special sections featuring premium domestic products as well as Chinese trendsetting brands seeking to expand overseas, underscoring the rising appeal of "Made in China" on the global stage.

The premium domestic products zone brings together a wide range of Chinese brands that integrate cutting-edge technology, green innovation and smart manufacturing.

Among the exhibitors, the "Zhejiang Premium" area showcases leading companies and emerging brands from east China's coastal Zhejiang Province.

Featuring more than 100 products, the exhibition zone highlights how advanced technologies are helping traditional industries upgrade and transform themselves.

The booth also offers an immersive experience space designed for visitors to view, stay and interact.

"We will make a full use of the policy advantages from the operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port, including zero-tariff and processing value-added incentives, to explore a new pathway linking Zhejiang's manufacturing with the Hainan channel, and to enable more Zhejiang's competitive products manufacturers to have the confidence and capability to go global and succeed in going global," said Xie Xiaoyun, head of the Zhejiang Provincial Market Supervision Authority.

Meanwhile, the expo has also launched supporting events such as the "Shopping in China" campaign and a nationwide promotion program for high-quality export goods.

At a business matchmaking event themed "Heilongjiang Premium Products Global Promotion (Haikou Stop)", multiple companies and time-honored brands from northeast China's Heilongjiang Province and Hainan reached strategic cooperation agreements on two-way promotion of each side's high-quality and distinctive products in the other's market, and simultaneously develop new co-branded products.

Geng Bing, an official with the Heilongjiang Provincial Commerce Department, said: "We aim to leverage Hainan's role as an open gateway to global markets. By taking advantage of the Hainan Free Trade Port's global reach, we will give rise to new consumption scenarios featuring 'online and offline integration' and 'all domain reach', and rationally lay out our commercial and trade circulation networks, to help Heilongjiang's products reach the whole of the country and the rest of the world."

The expo, running from Monday to Saturday in Haikou, capital of Hainan Province, has brought together more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions under the theme of "Opening-Up Drives Global Consumption, Innovation Empowers A Better Life."

Hainan consumer expo emerges as platform for competitive products, time-honored brands to go global

Israel aims to fuel division among Lebanese factions by holding direct talks with the Lebanese government, said a senior Hezbollah official in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).

Bilal Lakkis, a member of Hezbollah's Central Committee, said Israel's military plans are failing in southern Lebanon, with no prominent military gains despite weeks of bombardment.

Israel has been bombarding most bridges over the Litani River, leaving only about two intact, in what appears to be an attempt to create an expanded buffer zone or to advance further north. Asked how Hezbollah views this strategy, Lakkis dismissed Israeli objectives as incoherent and militarily unachieved.

"Every day one of Israel's leaders says something different. Some say 'we need protection from the attacks', others say they want an occupation to settle the Israeli military. A third group says they want a buffer zone. A buffer zone needs a huge military victory, which has not been achieved. This proves that there is hesitance among them, there is no clarity. In any case, the region south of the river, some parts of it are just three kilometers between the river and the occupied Palestinian territories, so it doesn't achieve security," he said.

The United States hosted political talks for the first time in decades between the Lebanese government and Israel this week. Asked whether any agreement could be implemented without Hezbollah's consent and what Israel seeks from these negotiations, Lakkis was unequivocal in his rejection.

"The government is violating all laws. Some in Lebanon had hopes that the war on Iran would hit the brain, all the affiliates would perish. Instead they found success in holding negotiations in Pakistan. Every time Netanyahu fails militarily, he attempts to fuel the division within the Lebanese body," he said.

Asked about whether Hezbollah would avoid actions that might fuel such divisions, Lakkis emphasized the group's commitment to internal stability.

"The resistance in Lebanon doesn't want any internal instability. That is a long-standing historic stance. It's a red line for us to tamper with peace and stability. Moreover, the Arab and the Islamic support towards the resistance and Hezbollah specifically is at its best. To resist that is a way more valuable gain than to be dragged against an internal party. We are keen on national unity and Islamic unity," he said.

Hezbollah official says Israel aims to fuel division among Lebanese factions