Countries of all sizes see vast potential in Chinese market at import expo

Global exhibitors from some of the world's largest and smallest economies have found opportunities to tap into the vast potential in the Chinese market through the seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE), which wrapped in Shanghai on Sunday.

Exhibitors at the American Food and Agriculture pavilion saw a robust start at the five-day event.

Covering over 240 square meters, the American Food and Agriculture Pavilion featured 14 exhibitors, including state representatives, national trade associations, food manufacturers and export packaging companies. The pavilion showcased the diversity of the American food industry, displaying a range of products such as beef, wine, potatoes and pet food.

Jason Hafemeister, acting deputy undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), said that nowadays, an increasing number of American companies are accelerating their understanding of China and entering the Chinese market through the CIIE. He believes that there will be more space for space in the agricultural sector between China and the United States in the future.

"Very satisfied. What I was able to do this week was to oversee some signing of contracts between Chinese businesses and U.S. exporters and to see the culmination of our work in opening the market and promoting the market in the signing of contracts. It is really a real special thing about CIIE, really a highlight for us," Hafemeister said.

"Agriculture has been a very big success story in the U.S.-China relationship, there's a natural fit between the U.S. and China in the food and agriculture space. It's a pretty big market. There's not many bigger -- a billion people all in one country, in one economy. And it's a growing economy. China and people are consuming more better foods, so China is an attractive place for us to do business. So we think there's room to grow in the China market, and it has great potential for the United States," he said.

From Nov. 5 to 10, these exhibitors signed 11 deals with a total trade value of 711 million U.S. dollars, a 41 percent increase in value compared to the sixth CIIE, according to the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai (AmCham Shanghai).

Despite a challenging global environment and lackluster economic recovery, the CIIE, held once a year since 2018, has been a testament to China's determination to open its door wider. Notably, U.S. firms have since the first edition been at the forefront in terms of exhibition area and exhibitor numbers.

Over the past 45 years, bilateral trade between China and the United States has seen an over 200-fold expansion. More than 70,000 U.S. companies have invested and operated in China, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

In addition to economic behemoths like the United States, the CIIE welcomed exporters from numerous small countries. From the Cook Islands in the South Pacific, a wide range of products including ukuleles, black pearls and vanilla proved highly popular.

Lorna Napa, a business advisor for the Commerce, Trade and Investment Commission of the Cook Islands, expressed her anticipation for more of the country's products to appear on the Chinese market soon.

"It has been a really good experience. It's very exciting for me and also for these small businesses, who will get the opportunity to try and export internationally from the Cook Islands. We are very, very grateful and the people of China have helped our small nation in bringing us here and also to showcase to you what the Cook Islands has to offer in hope of preparation for next year," said Napa.

The CIIE is the world's first national-level exposition dedicated to imports. Running from November 5 to 10 under the theme of "New Era, Shared Future," the 7th CIIE has attracted participants from 152 countries, regions and international organizations to participate in its country exhibition and business exhibition.

Countries of all sizes see vast potential in Chinese market at import expo

A once-dying forest of populus trees in Aral City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is showing signs of life again after remarkable ecological conservation and restoration efforts by a team from Tarim University.

Located in the Jinyang Town, the forest of Populus Euphratica, or Huyang in Chinese, which spans more than 2,666 hectares, was discovered in a state of seemingly irreversible death in 2014 by Professor Li Zhijun and her research team from Tarim University.

Despite its vast size and the appearance of barren and skeletal trees, the team made an extraordinary discovery that changed the course of the forest's fate.

"The lower part of the roots [of some of the populus trees] is still alive, definitely alive. It's just that there is insufficient water, and without enough moisture for growth, the tree enters a dormant state, similar to how some animals hibernate in winter," said Li.

After conducting sampling of the trees, the team discovered that there were hundreds of trees in such a dormant state.

Despite no supply of water for decades, they have entered a dormant state by shedding their leaves and allowing their branches to dry out, waiting for water replenishment.

In 2014, Xinjiang implemented a special ecological conservation project aimed at restoring the Huyang forest in the Tarim River basin.

In 2016, thanks to Li's advocacy, the local government began using treated agricultural wastewater, previously deemed unsuitable for irrigation or human use, to irrigate the forest.

By 2018, the project had shown promising results, with the barren landscape slowly starting to show signs of recovery.

The survey of Li and her team on Nov. 5 this year revealed an exciting update: more than 300 trees have grown new branches.

Li said she is glad with the achievement as these trees play a crucial role in local development and people's wellbeing.

"Ninety one percent of China's Huyang trees are scattered in Xinjiang and 89 percent of them are located in the Tarim Basin, forming an oasis on the edge of the desert. The distribution of these Huyang forests almost forms a ring around the Tarim Basin, and this ring plays a vital role in the economic development and people's safety in southern Xinjiang," she said.

Looking ahead, Li and his team wish to expand this water-saving model across the region and collaborate with other cities and counties in the desert to bring life back to more drought-stricken forests, using treated agricultural wastewater as a sustainable solution.

Dying desert populus forest in China's Xinjiang brought back to life with ecological restoration efforts