The Canton Fair attracted 480 firms from 57 countries and regions,
offering business people an opportunity to purchase commodities
worldwide.
Chinese products are favored by global buyers at the major
import and export fair in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, despite a few product
recalls of Chinese products this summer.
Export transactions at the first phase of the autumn session of
the Canton Fair, ending on Saturday, soared to US$24.97 billion, up
12.5 percent over the last autumn fair. The number of overseas
buyers reached more than 123,000, up 1.3 percent.
"Thousands of people are basically here for Chinese goods. They
are not looking for foreign goods," said Steve Barek, President and
CEO of the Florida-based Microflock Textile Group Corporation.
Barek said he plans to increase procurement by about 50 percent
at the fair.
To restore confidence in Chinese-made products, the country has
staged a slew of measures, including recall systems, a four-month
nationwide product quality campaign, and intensive training courses
for domestic manufacturers.
Cristina Goereescci, representative for Romania Flyfish Sanitary
Ware, said compared to goods in Romania, Chinese goods are usually
available with the same quality but lower prices.
"These days we visited many Chinese factories. Their production
ability is approaching European standards," said Rainer Muller from
the German trade company Modena GmbH.
"We think that they have good quality. Now we buy more and more
goods from China, such as refrigerators, microwave ovens, and
dishwashers," he said.
Israel businessman Eli Tubul said he is not only interested in
Chinese goods.
"I also want to buy goods by non-Chinese producers since there
are so many imported products on display," he said.
"We have prepared an abundance of high-quality products for the
booming Chinese market," said Harvey Dubrofsky, president of
Canada's household utensil firm Dusco.
Not far from his booth was a household electric appliance
company from Italy, surrounded by a flock of gabbling visitors.
Giovanni Crialesi, manager of the Italian firm, said Chinese
people, especially those living in big cities, are buying more
expensive kitchen utensils, so they may also need stoves or ovens
of European style.
Besides Chinese consumers, 200,000 buyers from all over the
world also gathered here, providing an enormous business chance for
us, Dubrofsky said.
During the fair, Dubrofsky talked with a dozen clients from
China, India, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia who showed interest in his
product.
The fair has helped the company attract more clients worldwide
to grab a share of the vast international market, he said.
To attract more business people from less developed countries in
Asia and Africa, the fair organizer offered them favorable
policies, such as discounted or free renting fees for exhibition
booths.
Formerly known as the Canton Fair, the country's oldest trade
fair officially changed its name to the China Import and Export
Commodities Fair earlier this year.
It was seen as a move to show the world China's efforts to
increase imports and reduce trade surplus, which has triggered
trade disputes with other countries.
After the Canton Fair added an import section to its exhibition,
other major trade fairs, including the China International Fair for
Investment and Trade and the China Hi-tech Fair, followed suit.
(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2007)
