The ongoing 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) is drawing more small and medium-sized enterprises, giving them valuable opportunities and channels to reach Chinese consumers.
Running from Nov 5 to 10, this year's CIIE has attracted 4,142 overseas exhibitors. Many of them are not large companies, but small and medium-sized enterprises.
The Brazilian state of Mato Grosso is taking part in the CIIE for the fourth consecutive year. A key focus of its pavilion is promoting Brazilian black beans, a staple ingredient in feijoada, the country's famous traditional dish.
"I have many small and medium-sized business owners interested in exploring opportunities and establishing partnerships with Chinese companies. They produce quality goods and know China has the demand, but they don't know what it takes to export to China," said Ariana Guedes de Oliveira, international affairs director of Invest in Mato Grosso.
At the expo, many exhibitors are also using livestreaming to showcase their products to audiences who cannot attend in person.
Sri Lanka, this year's Guest Country of Honor, established its online sales channel many years ago to reach a much wider audience.
"Many of our exporters use e-commerce to send goods to China, because I think the young generation tend to purchase from e-commerce [platforms]. It's important to use e-commerce because they can send small quantities. Especially they can get ideas about the preferences of their customers," said Apsara Arampath, Assistant Director of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board.
Launched in 2018, the CIIE is the world's first national-level expo dedicated to imports. The past eight editions have drawn more than 180 countries, regions and international organizations, while cumulative intended deals have exceeded 580 billion U.S. dollars.
CIIE offers important channel for small-sized foreign exporters
