Zhuhai fulcrum for strong China-Latin America trade

Marketing manager Casio just got off a transpacific flight to the city of Zhuhai, some 18,800 km from his hometown in Brazil, hoping to find Chinese buyers for his Amazon River freshwater fish.

He's part of the China-Latin America & Caribbean International Exposition, which opens today and runs through Nov 11, and his hopes are running high.

The State-backed expo is the first of its kind to emphasize scientific and agricultural cooperation between China, Latin America, and Caribbean states.

Casio values the golden opportunity to connect with the country that's the third-biggest source of investment for Latin American markets and home to one of the world's largest consumer bases.

Most importantly, he can feel China's sincerity and confidence in achieving win-win benefits by seeking long-term strategic Sino-Latin partnerships; the Chinese old saying "Bosom Friends Make Distance Disappear" is the theme of the event, and sets the tone for greater communication and connection in trade activities.

China-Latin America & Caribbean International Exposition 

The International Convention & Exhibition Center in Shizimen Central Business District of the Hengqin Free Trade Zone has earmarked more than 30,000 sq m for the event. Organizers are expecting a large number of transactions in commodities and services, trade technology exchanges, and cooperation in investment, finance, and tourism.

An array of policy incentives including exemption of booth fees has benefited a great many exhibitors like Casio from Latin American and Caribbean countries. Casio says he will not only exhibit his products but will also take part in high-level summits, cooperation forums, and investment networking to do his bit to promote wider bilateral trade.

More than 500 exhibitors

A total of 524 enterprises including 339 from overseas are attending the expo. According to the organizing committee, 24 countries and regions in Latin America are represented by 252 firms. They include Sociedad Química y Minerva de Chile, an international chemical company, and Marcopolo SA, the largest bus manufacturer in Brazil.

Also attending are 87 companies from along the Belt & Road route that have trade ties with Latin America. Over the next three days they will interact with 95 enterprises from 17 provinces and cities from across the Chinese mainland and 90 others from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

High-profile domestic exhibitors include China National Offshore Oil Corp, the largest offshore oil and gas producer in China; China National Petroleum Corp, the world's 3rd largest oil company; Aviation Industry Corp of China, a State-owned aerospace and defense company; CRRC Corp Ltd, the world's largest supplier of rail transit equipment; and China National Nuclear Corp, a large State-owned enterprise under direct management of the central government. Also on the exhibition list are ZTE Corp, a global leader in telecommunications and information technology; Sany Heavy Industry, a multinational manufacturer; Foxconn, the Taiwanese manufacturing giant; and Zhuhai-based Gree Electric Appliances, one of the world's largest refrigerator manufacturers.

More than 40,000 visitors are expected to attend the event with a half day on Nov 9 for business activities and the rest of the days for public visits.

Three dedicated pavilion zones

Three exhibition zones full of attractive well-decorated booths have been set up under different themes.

Exhibition Halls 1, 2 and 3 serve the 15,000-sq-m Latin America Specialty Exhibition Area, which displays agricultural, mineral, medical, and cultural tourism products and services.

Leading businesses from Zhuhai, Hong Kong, and Macao have been given a 10,000-sq-m area in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of Halls 4 and 5.

The China-LAC Cooperation Exhibition Area in Hall 6 covers 5,000 sq m and demonstrates Latin American economic and trade achievements by key domestic enterprises outside Guangdong.

In addition to those zones, high-profile Latin American countries are represented in Main Guest National Pavilions. They include Barbados, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Cuba, Grenada, Guyana, Chile, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Jamaica. 

National Pavilion of Guyana

Furthermore, seven Latin American provinces, prefectures, and cities are spotlighted in a shared display.

Plenty of opportunities

Fifty-six deals valued at more than 3.2 billion yuan ($492 million) had been clinched as of Oct 31. Twelve of the most representative projects will be signed during the opening ceremony. They involve printing supplies, modern logistics, petrochemicals, and home electric appliances.

A meeting of the China-LAC International Expo will be held on Nov 9 with 400 merchants taking part. Business cross-promotion is to be arranged for Zhuhai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen in Guangdong and Tangshan in Hebei Province, which will be networked with Brazil's Espirito Santo and Mato Grosso, Argentina's San Nicolás, and Uruguay's Atlantida.

Bilateral park unveiled

China-Latin America Economic & Trade Cooperation Park will be unveiled as part of the inauguration.

The 2.5-billion-yuan ($370 million) Hengqin project with a construction area of 244,000 sq m is designated to promote bilateral cultural communication, tourism exchanges, cross-border e-business, and economic, trade, and modern business services.

The mission is to be fulfilled with the operation of the China-Latin America Leisure Tourism & Cultural Exchange, Legal Service, Policy Research & Innovation centers, and Sino-Latin America International Commodity Exchange, Cross-border E-commerce Cooperation, and Financial Cooperation Service platforms.

Booth representing Uruguay [Photos provided by CLAC Expo Organizing Committee]

Signings will take place to grant entry permission for registered enterprises. On the list are Lynk & Co, an automotive brand owned by China-based Zhejiang Geely Holding Group; TravelFlan, an AI-powered chatbot targeting the outbound travelers' market in Chinese-speaking countries; Hengqin Macao Payment Information Technology Co; State Power Investment Overseas of China (SPIC Overseas); Mexican Chamber of Commerce in China (Mexcham); Municipal Design & Planning Research Institute of Power Construction Corp of China; CCCC-Hengqin Investment; Zhuhai Sino-Latin America Information Technology Co Ltd; China Metallurgical Investment Co Ltd; and Sino-LAC United Investment Co.

Cultural promotion

The premier Chinese trading event for Latin American and Caribbean countries also facilitates cross-cultural communication. Among other attractions, performances are to be staged by major-league musical troupes from Brazil, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Uruguay, Trinidad, and Tobago.

The Nov 9 China-LAC "Brilliant Night" Large Cultural Show will be staged at the Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theatre.

Spotlights will be on Mexican Mariachi musicians and novel presentations of ancient legends and celebrations. Lion and drum dancing featuring Lingnan characteristics will accompany Chinese classical music.

The star-studded line-up includes a percussion ensemble from Brazil, Tango dance troupe from Argentina, national music orchestra from Mexico, and ballet ensemble from Chile.

Guangdong Song & Dance Ensemble will head the list of artists such as Cui Junzhi, the world's chief performer of the harp-like konghou; Fang Jinlong, excellent contemporary performer of the five-stringed pipa; and famed young pianist Wu Chun.

Sport exchanges

The China-LAC Cup International Football Invitational that began on Nov 6 will hold its final on Nov 10 at the Zhuhai Sports Center. Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, Santos Futebol Clube, Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao Football Club, and Guangzhou R&F Football Club will compete for the championship.

The time-honored Grêmio has cultivated world-class football coach Scolari and soccer legend Ronaldinho. Zhuhai's local Black Panthers Football Club, founded in 2015, forged a partnership with Grêmio to bring in a professional coach to train talented teenage players in China.

Insights from experts

With global experts and business representatives sharing opinions and ideas on specific practices, a series of keynote speeches on Nov 9 will shed light on development trends around the world.

Guests include Sr Antonio Prado, former economic and financial adviser to the President of Chile; Dong Mingzhu, board chairman and president of Gree Electric Appliances; Hua Fei, chairman of the China Co-financing Fund for Latin America & Caribbean Region; Li Dongsheng, board chairman and president of TCL; and Professor Chen Taotao, director of the Center for China-Latin America Management Studies of Tsinghua University.

The exposition is sponsored by the China Chamber of International Commerce and organized by the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, Zhuhai government, CCPIT Guangzhou Committee, and China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Hengqin New Area of Zhuhai.

China and Latin America and Caribbean states are about to set a milestone on the journey of reaching high-level exchanges and wider economic and trade cooperation, stated a government official. The major movement marks Zhuhai's determination to continue implementing the Opening-Up strategy and accelerate the construction of a pivotal role in the Belt & Road Initiative, he added.