A Chinese exhibitor shows household appliances to visitors at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, on April 26, 2024.(Xinhua/Zhang Baoping)
BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Over 30 Chinese companies are exhibiting at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Zimbabwe's second-largest city, Bulawayo.
On the theme of "Entrepreneurship: The Catalyst for Industrialisation and Trade," the five-day expo runs from Tuesday to Saturday.
ZITF, the country's leading international exhibition, is a major annual trade and investment platform that offers opportunities for local and international businesses to explore partnerships.
Chinese companies in various sectors, including information and communications technology (ICT), manufacturing, transportation, new energy and agriculture, showcase a wide range of products made in Zimbabwe and China on the theme "Support made in Zimbabwe, promote the industrialization of Zimbabwe."
Huawei, a major global ICT player, showcased its cutting-edge technologies, including digital power solutions equipment.
"This trade fair is the biggest event in the country, and as an important contributor in the ICT sector for the country, we think we also need to show the public our latest technologies," Huawei Zimbabwe Managing Director Yang Shengwan told Xinhua on Friday.
"Under the guidance of Vision 2030 of the country, Huawei is ready to do more for the country, for example, the digital Zimbabwe and smart Zimbabwe. We try to bring the latest technologies for the country to achieve the final digital economy," he added.
Meng Limin, chairperson of Jiangsu Fanye Power Energy Equipment, a player in the renewable energy industry, and one of the Chinese companies exhibiting at the trade fair, said the expo provided an opportunity to expand business.
"Many people visited our exhibition stand to see our products and they expressed interest. There are a lot of companies and mines that need our solar power equipment to address the power deficit," she told Xinhua on Friday.
Hu Sha, the deputy captain of the 21st China Medical Team in Zimbabwe, and head of the Zimbabwe-China Traditional Chinese Medicine Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in the capital Harare, presented Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) to locals at the expo.
"I am so glad to come here to establish a TCM stand. A lot of people are coming here, they are very interested in TCM, so we introduced the TCM therapy and TCM medicine and acupuncture, cupping, and moxibustion," she said.
Zhao Ke, chairperson of the China-Zimbabwe Exchange Center, a non-governmental organization dedicated to the advancement of China-Zimbabwe cultural ties and socio-economic development, said the number of Chinese companies present at this year's expo grew from 15 in 2023 to over 30 this year, a development which demonstrates the importance of the trade fair to Chinese enterprises.
"This year our theme is promoting 'Made in Zimbabwe,' so we chose Chinese enterprise companies that are manufacturing their products in Zimbabwe, so I think 70 percent of companies here manufacture their products in Zimbabwe, including clothing, shoes, chemicals, and washing products. We got a quite good response from the people, from the exhibitors, they are quite happy, a lot of people came to their stands, asking about their brands," said Zhao.
The increased attendance of Chinese companies at this year's ZITF signals the growth of trade relations between China and Zimbabwe.
Trade between the two countries reached a record 3.12 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, up 29.9 percent from the previous year, according to statistics from the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe.
Sam Ndanga, a local visitor to the Chinese pavilion, was impressed by the products and services offered.
"The exhibitors have quite a wide range of products which are of interest, particularly the Chinese products - solar products, because of the power problems we have, everyone is going solar, going green, so I was particularly impressed by a wide range of power banks which can act as a buffer in case of power cuts in offices," Ndanga told Xinhua. "I am going to procure some for our offices so that we don't have to lose internet connectivity when there is no power." ■