By Lu Jian, Qian Chunxian
GUANGZHOU, April 25 (Xinhuanet) -- "Just take a glimpse of this trade fair, we can easily find the tremendous achievement of China's reform and opening-up policy in the past four decades," Val Thompson, an American businessman, said at the 123rd China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair).
Held from April 15 to May 5, “China’s biggest fair” is held biannually in Guangzhou every spring and autumn with a history of 61 years.
The Fair has been hailed by overseas buyers and enterprises as an epitome of China's reform and opening-up and China’s efforts to move closer to the center stage as well as a symbol of deepening international business ties.
Photo shows the popularity of the Canton Fair held in south China. (Xinhuanet/Lu Jian)
"Since the reform and opening up, many U.S. citizens have visited China and are well impressed by its dynamic manufacturing capabilities and its diligent people," said Val Thompson, president and CEO of Houston International Trade Development Council.
In the new global economic situation, the Fair has become a vital step toward better business environment and a more open market.
"It is not only a stage for China to display itself, but also a platform for international cooperation when facing challenges and opportunities of globalization," Thompson said.
Thompson is not the only one impressed by China's rapid development in economic and social sectors.
“The Canton Fair has served as a platform where global buyers and sellers communicate with each other in the past decades,” said Alim Markus, Chairman of the Indonesia China Business Council.
"I have attended the Canton Fair for eight consecutive years. During the period, China has become the second largest economy in the world and Canton Fair is a window through which the world witnessed such rapid growth. It sent a clear message that China welcomed others to board the express train of its development.
"The 123rd Canton Fair is a great event held on the same year of the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up, which lays a solid foundation of facilitating Chinese and Indonesian enterprises to expand business and promote brands," Markus added.
The history of the Fair reflects the development of China’s foreign trade as well as its reform and opening up policy.
Forty years ago, there were approximately 21,000 overseas buyers from 97 countries and regions attending the 44th session of Canton Fair, with an export transaction volume of 2.448 billion U.S.dollars.
In 2017, there were some 191,950 overseas buyers attending the 122nd Canton Fair, with an export volume of 30.16 billion U.S. dollars.
Up to the 122nd session, the accumulated export transaction volume has amounted to 1.26 trillion U.S. dollars and the overseas buyers reached 7.85 million.
This year, over 25,000 exhibiting companies from home and abroad are estimated to attend the Fair.
In 1978 the total value of China’s import and export was 20.64 billion U.S. dollars, ranking the 30th in the world, accounting for only 0.77 percent of total value of world’s import and export.
In 2017, the total value of China’s import and export reached 4.1 trillion dollars, an average annual growth of 14.5 percent since 1978, and accounted for 10 percent of the world’s total, ranking the first in the world.
China is "the world's factory" from which global consumers benefit significantly.
The tremendous consumer market offers a huge potential and its economic miracle provides a powerful momentum for world’s economy.
China has become the second largest economy in the world and has contributed more than 30 percent of global economic growth, serving as a major stabilizer and strong impetus for global economic growth.
The import and export of goods is not only an important part of China's efforts to build an open economy, but also a powerful engine of economic growth and a main force propping comprehensive national strength.
Over the past 40 years, China's trading partners have become more diversified, market participants have become more active, the growth engines have upgraded and structural adjustment has accelerated, and the transformation to international trade power has become more determined.
The Canton Fair opens on April 15. (Xinhuanet/Wu Jiawei)
Canton Fair is a “wind indicator”of economic and trade ties between China and other countries when new challenges arise.
Xu Bing, spokesperson of the Fair and Deputy Director General of China Foreign Trade Centre, said that the Fair should consolidate its image as the window of China to open wider in all aspects.
Chinese exhibitors are striving vigorously to optimize their product structure and explore diversified markets.
Since its 101st session in April 2007, the Canton Fair has set up an International Pavilion inviting overseas enterprises to participate.
During the 123rd session, the International Pavilion is set up in the first and the third phases. 617 enterprises from 34 countries and regions attend the Fair, with the Ukrainian, Thai and Nepales pavillions making debut.
Experts said under the new circumstances, the Fair should strengthen its role as a platform of opening up for enhanced utilization of markets and resources at home and abroad, while making newer and greater contributions to the rest of the world.
“Most of the African countries have benefited from China’s commitment to maintaining and developing an open economy,” said Caroline Silwamba, President of the Agriculture and Commercial Society of Zambia, who attended the Fair for the first time.
She said she was impressed by the small farming instruments at Canton Fair, including small tillers and tractors.
“Some exhibits made in China are of good quality and at affordable prices,” she added.
As a global leader in e-commerce, China will provide the overseas market with unlimited potential, according to Alexey Fedotov, Co-chairman & Chief-representative of the Russian Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, who has attended 21 sessions of Canton Fair.
He regarded the International Pavilion of the Fair as an important platform for communication for both Chinese and Russian companies. "We are glad to see that digital economy and e-commerce have been thriving in China in recent years, Russian's entrepreneurs will not only exhibit at the Fair but also set up online stores to sell more goods via internet," he added.
Businessmen at the fair are looking forward to the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be held in Shanghai in November.
“We are confident that more Indonesian companies will participate in CIIE and set up more booths,” said Markus.
From Guangzhou to Shanghai, China's strong determination inspires the world to cooperate more closely in face of challenges and opportunities.
