A bigger Singapore presence at China International Import Expo
Singapore companies will have another important opportunity to connect with Chinese buyers at CIIE 2019
The China International Import Expo (CIIE) was launched last year as an important platform for promoting bilateral trade relations between China and the world, and offered Singapore businesses a rare opportunity to engage with potential customers on the Mainland. This B2B trade fair focuses solely on imports, and brings together thousands of Chinese buyers with foreign companies and government representatives looking to export to the country.
Led by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), a delegation of over 80 Singapore enterprises – the largest sent by an ASEAN nation – participated in the inaugural instalment in Shanghai in November last year. Occupying an exhibition space of 1,425sqm, the Singapore exhibitors showcased products and services across logistics and transportation, financial and banking, education, healthcare and F&B sectors.
SBF said in a statement in March that it expects to lead an even larger and more diverse delegation for the second edition of the event, which is set to take place from November 5 to 10, 2019. To date, two in three of Singapore registrants are past exhibitors of CIIE.
In the run-up to CIIE 2019, SBF and other trade associations and chambers have been actively engaging the Singapore business community on the opportunities that the platform presents. SBF has booked over 2,000 sq m of exhibition space with the CIIE Bureau, a 40% increase from last year.
To help promote Singapore businesses, SBF plans to facilitate more exclusive business-matching activities during CIIE 2019 by tapping on its well-established network in China. Last year, the business matching sessions conducted by SBF and its partners saw 15 Memorandums-of-Understanding inked, valued at more than SGD152million.
“CIIE is a rare international stage that brings together companies and organisations from all over the world. Trading with China can open doors to other opportunities, including the Belt and Road initiative. We urge Singapore companies to take advantage of this valuable platform that could put their business at the heart of the world’s fastest-growing economy,” said SBF Chairman, Mr S.S. Teo.
A invaluable opportunity
Singapore-based Pacific International Lines, one of the companies that participated in CIIE 2018, is looking forward to returning this year after their fruitful experience at the inaugural event.
“We had the opportunity to come into contact with many outstanding SME representatives from the southwestern and eastern regions of China. They were invited by the local government and their goals for attending were very clear,” said Mr Alexander Lee, Assistant General Manager (Commercial), PIL China, a unit of Pacific International Lines.
He added: “We were able to promote ourselves, while getting to understand other industries and companies’ products and history. We were also able to exchange ideas and create win-win situations.”
Singapore-based companies keen on joining the SBF-led delegation to CIIE 2019 may contact the SBF China & North Asia Business Group at [email protected]
