Despite the global economic uncertainty brought by U.S. tariffs, foreign companies participating in this year's China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in south China's island province of Hainan have expressed confidence about the Chinese market.
The six-day event, which opened in Haikou on Sunday, has attracted exhibitors from more than 70 countries and regions, covering emerging fields such as the digital sector and green consumption.
Numerous exhibitors from around the globe, including those specialized in the health and beauty industry, have acknowledged the unique potential of the expo and have conveyed their aspirations to broaden their business presence in Chinese market.
"Trade relations between Canada and China are very strong, so we want to continue to develop these relationships. So I'm meeting a lot of buyers now, and I'm excited to continue to grow here," said Kapil Kalra, president and co-founder of Naturemary, a Canadian company specialized in health and wellness products.
Christoph Wild, deputy CEO of the Swiss pharmaceutical company Dr. Wild and Co. AG, said his firm has attached great importance to the Chinese market -- as signaled by its participation in every edition of the exhibition since its inaugural event in 2021.
"We have been here at the Hainan Expo as of the beginning so we were [here for the] first time, now I think this is fifth time. We really love the interest in our high-quality oral care products, which we produce in Switzerland, which we get here. So Hainan, for the moment, is a must for me," he said.
Meanwhile, Nanako Sadasue, president and CEO of Japanese clothing company Kamakura Shirts, said their business in China has demonstrated strong momentum over the past few years.
"Our visits and sales on the first day have already exceeded last year's levels. Over the past few years, our sales in the China market have consistently grown by 10 to 20 percent annually," she said.
Other business representatives have stressed the importance of the expo to network and forge new potential partnerships.
"Cross sharing, being able to respect a different type of culture and to work all together is more important than relying only on your frontier and trying to close everything," said Hugues de La Chevasnerie, president of French beauty products firm Payot.
Int'l exhibitors remain confident about trade with China amid tariff disruptions
The ongoing 137th China Import and Export Fair, commonly known as Canton Fair, has become a pivotal platform for foreign trade enterprises looking to enter China's domestic market, with new matchmaking initiatives and government-backed policies driving the transition.
As of April 19, the fair attracted over 148,000 overseas buyers from 216 countries and regions, marking a 20.2-percent increase from the 135th edition two years ago. The second phase of the fair will begin on April 23, following the first phase from April 15 to 19.
To bolster the resilience of foreign trade enterprises amid global challenges, the province of Guangdong hosted the "Foreign Trade Premium Products Guangdong Tour and Domestic Buyer Matchmaking Event" on Friday.
The event featured innovative measures such as policy support, platform development, and channel collaboration, aimed at stimulating domestic consumption and accelerating the shift of foreign trade products into the local market.
At the event, over 300 foreign trade enterprises showcased a range of products, including electronics, electrical appliances, and automotive parts.
More than 360 domestic buyers, including large retail vendors and e-commerce platforms, participated in matchmaking sessions. This facilitated deals worth over 680 million yuan (over 93 million U.S. dollars), further integrating foreign trade with domestic consumption.
"We launched a 'Direct Express' service, which delivers products to various procurement teams within 24 hours to facilitate communication with our partners, aiming to quickly list products and make them available to consumers," said Liu Junyan, senior professional manager at the South China Office of China Resources Vanguard, the supermarket chain.
"Currently, our ratio of domestic to foreign sales is about 3:7. As a company focused on foreign trade, we are not only optimistic about but also urgently need the domestic market. We will make full use of the policies provided by the government, as well as online platforms, e-commerce live streaming, and other channels, to accelerate the transition from foreign trade to domestic sales," said Zeng Shaohui, general manager of Bella Intelligent Information Technology, a producer of AI-powered health products based in Guangzhou.
As e-commerce platforms play a crucial role in helping foreign trade enterprises expand into the domestic market, platforms like Jingxi, JD.com's strategic business targeting lower-tier markets, are helping to lower the entry barriers for many foreign enterprises.
"We specifically target small and medium-sized traders and manufacturers who export products. They don't need in-depth business knowledge; they just need to work with us on packaging. We handle everything -- from item collection to logistics, customer service, and operations. This enables more businesses to easily enter the export-to-domestic e-commerce platform. Currently, our export-to-domestic products are receiving 200 million daily views, with daily sales reaching 10 million yuan," said Qiu Changbin, head of export-to-domestic sales division at JD.com’s Jingxi Business Division.
Business departments across Guangdong are rolling out policies to support the transition of foreign trade enterprises into the domestic market. By leveraging platform resources, building convenient channels, and accurately matching market demand, these efforts are helping enterprises accelerate their expansion.
"To address the current complex and challenging foreign trade situation, we have introduced 18 measures to promote the integration of domestic and foreign trade. These include developing an integrated online platform, linking multiple e-commerce platforms, launching a 24-hour green channel for domestic sales, a 15-day rapid listing process, and a trillion-yuan procurement support plan. These measures are specifically designed to tackle the bottlenecks faced by foreign trade enterprises. So far, we have successfully helped over 400 foreign trade enterprises expand into the domestic market," said Wei Min, director of the Guangzhou Bureau of Commerce.
Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China and has been hailed as the barometer of China's foreign trade.
Canton Fair facilitates foreign trade expansion into domestic market
