China trade fair success for Laos
China trade fair success for Laos
More than 60 countries including Laos saw a total of 3,188 booths exhibited to promote trade and cooperation at the 2nd China-South Asia Exposition and the 22nd China Kunming Import and Export Fair held in Kunming, China last Friday.
The event was officially opened at the Kunming International Exhibition Centre and featured many products such as jewellery, agricultural goods, wood products, machinery, cosmetics, building materials and many more.
The 2nd China-South Asia Exposition ran from June 6-10 with the 22nd Kunming Import and Export Fair also being held at the same time.
Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Deputy Secretary General Ms Kommaly Dalavong said the expo this year featured mostly Lao products made from wood as it was popular in the Chinese market.
Ms Kommaly said more than US$400,000 was invested in the 29 booths on display at the expo with thousands of people visiting everyday.
The Lao booths were expected to generate an income of more than US$500,000, she added.
Deputy Prime Minister Mr Somsavat Lengsavad expressed his gratitude and thanked the Chinese government, Yunnan provincial authorities, the expo's organising committee and businesses for holding the event as well as promoting trade and economic cooperation.
Mr Somsavat said through the expo many countries in the region had been given the opportunity to display their products and develop trade and cooperation in order to find a gateway into South Asia and the Southeast Asia region.
He said the Lao government was invited by the senior delegation to attend the Kunming Import and Export Fair after an invitation was received by the Chinese delegation to join the first China-South Asia Exposition in 2013, which brought Laos into the international spotlight.
This year was Laos' second time joining the expo and trade fair, which was proof of the steady development of trade relations with China and the Yunnan province who had maintained friendly relations and economic cooperation with Laos, he added.
The exhibition showcased 21 companies from Laos with a tot al of 29 booths on display. These booths presented wood products, agricultural goods and jewellery among many others.
This provided a chance for the Lao companies to seek business opportu nities in the international market.
The principle themes of this year's trade fairs were ‘All-Round China-South Asia Cooperation and Development' and ‘Broaden the Service Trade: promoting investment cooperation, accelerating the mutual communication and co-building the Economic Corridor'.
The expo aimed to be a high level comprehensive event which integrated commodity trade, service trade, investment cooperation, tourism cooperation and cultural exchange.
The exhibition accommodated a total of 3,188 indoor booths with 768 new additions, a 31.7 percent increase from the 2,420 booths seen at the first expo held last year.
Both trade fairs held various activities with 17 major events taking place.
There were ten indoor pavilions, including a Nepal themed pavilion, an overseas commodities pavilion and an outdoor exhibition zone for engineering machinery and building materials.
At the opening ceremony, the Deputy Prime Minister and State Council of China Mr Wang Yang addressed the success of the exposition and trade fairs in providing the opportunity for many countries in the region to join and promote economic and trade cooperation.
The expo was approved by the State Council of China and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, Yunnan's provincial People's Government and the commerce authorities of South Asian countries.
The trade fairs are an important bridge for the cooperation between China and other South Asian countries and it is an essential platform to expand economic trade contacts with countries in the region.
In October, 2012 the State Council of China approved the upgrade of the South Asian Countries Commodities Fair to the China-South Asia Exposition with the expo being held in Kunming, China every year starting in 2013.
vientiane times
