China Asean Expo attracts record number of booths

NANNING, China – The ongoing 7th China ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) has accommodated about 4,600 booths this year, the most so far compared with the previous years’ exhibits.

 The event organizers said the 7th CAEXPO received more active applications for booths, as a total of 5,360 were applied for, but only 4,600 can be finally provided. The rest of the applications had to be turned down due to the shortage of booths, the organizers said.

The number of booths used by ASEAN countries reached an all-time high of 1,178. These countries charter exhibition halls for their respective commodity pavilion.

The ratio of repeated exhibiting enterprises had likewise grown, the event organizers added.

Chinese domestic provinces and cities have a combined 3,261 booths. The rates of both Chinese and ASEAN repeated exhibiting enterprises grew dramatically, with Malaysia rising to 30 percent, and Chinese enterprises of food processing, packaging machinery, engineering machinery and international cooperation sections, rising to 40 percent, 52 percent , 82 percent and 90 percent respectively.

As the rate of repeated exhibitors is a major indicator of an exhibition’s attractiveness, growth rates in the CAEXPO has well evidenced the ever-growing market recognition of this event, the organizers pointed out.

Large-margin growth was also seen in the participating buying missions, they said. And larger-scale business matching programs were arranged.

Some 60 Chinese and international buying missions visited the event, up 50 percent over the last year. Also, more quality ASEAN buying missions and purchasers come to the event.

They said the 7th CAEXPO have given high priority to cooperation with investment promotion agencies of the 10 ASEAN countries for more efficient project collection, promotion and matching. Compared to the previous years, more and larger-scale trade and investment matching programs were arranged this year.

Targeting the theme “CAFTA & New Opportunities”, the pavilion of Cities of Charm showcases the strengths and business opportunities enjoyed by typical cities in the fields of trade, investment, science and technology and tourism. CAFTA stands for China ASEAN Free Trade Area.

And to extend the China-ASEAN cooperation from state-to-state level between cities and enhance the effectiveness of bilateral friendly exchanges, diverse programs were arranged for the Cities of Charm, which include the exclusive promotion conference, networking dinner of mayors, and handover ceremony of the City of Charm Seal.

The 7th China Asean Business and Investment Summit (CABIS), which is held concurrently with the CAEXPO, make innovations in both of its contents and event organization.