Shanxi capitalizing on promotional opportunities at Hainan trade show

Shanxi's exhibits attract visitors during the China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou. [Photo by Sun Rongxiang for China Daily]

The North China province of Shanxi viewed the recent China International Consumer Products Expo as an ideal platform to promote its products to the domestic and international markets.

The expo, held from April 10-15 in Haikou, the capital city of South China's Hainan province, attracted more than 320,000 visitors from home and abroad.

More than 3,300 consumer products from 65 countries and regions were displayed at the event.

The Shanxi delegation to the expo included 28 suppliers and 79 purchasing companies.

During the event, the delegation held a series of activities including exhibitions, on-site negotiations, investment promotions and matchmaking events.

The 28 suppliers from Shanxi exhibited their products in four categories – beverage, food, handicraft and smart manufacturing.

In the food section, for instance, Shanxi's time-honored food company Liuweizhai displayed its meat products.

"We are here to track the latest market demands and new trends of consumption while also exploring new channels and opportunities for trade," said Jia Chongyang, a company executive. "The expo has offered us a chance to communicate with clients face to face, allowing us to seek more collaboration in the future."

The offerings of Lu'anfu Silk Group, another supplier from Shanxi, included silk-linen mats and blankets. The products are tailored for the Hainan market as the materials used for the products can help relieve users from the heat in this tropical province.

Products from Shanxi's characteristic towns — places with industries with distinctive local features — were also on display at the event. They included ceramics from Huairen, hand-polished lacquer ware and beef from Pingyao, glassware from Qixian, medical herbs from Pingshun and yellow wine from Daixian.

The delegation held an investment promotion meeting on April 14 to introduce the favorable investment policies, investment destinations and tourist attractions in various areas across Shanxi. Representatives of more than 80 enterprises from provinces and municipalities including Beijing, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Hainan and Fujian attended the meeting.

Yang Chunquan, head of the Shanxi Investment Promotion Bureau, delivered a speech at the meeting, saying that Shanxi is experiencing a historic economic transformation, which means ample opportunities for investors.

"We hope our friends here can visit Shanxi someday to identify investment opportunities and cooperative partners," he said.

The official said that he expected more collaboration between Shanxi and the expo host province of Hainan.

"We are complementary in many fields, especially the tourism industry," Yang said. "Hainan is warm in winter and Shanxi is cool in summer, which means we can be tourist destinations for each other during these particular seasons."

Shanxi officials also said their province wants to make use of Hainan's status as a free trade port to facilitate its export and import of consumer goods.

Yan Jie contributed to this story.