Sense of confidence amid turbulence

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the China Import and Export Fair online is a rare opportunity for companies to seek more commercial cooperation, executives said.

“Thanks to the 127th Canton Fair in June, we have explored more new markets,” said Zheng Xiaosong, general manager of Chuangwei Household Electronic Appliances based in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

“Our business had seen a steady rise, bucking the trend of steep decline due to the global pandemic, which has strongly increased our confidence,” Zheng said.

This year, the CIEF, also know as Canton Fair, was held online in June and now in October due to the pandemic, aiming to provide a convenient platform for foreign traders.

After attending the 127th Canton Fair, Chinese agricultural conglomerate Beidahuang Group said for this session, it set up a virtual-reality product demonstration center and a livestreaming room for its five subsidiaries to show their products.

As corporations find it hard to conduct offline promotions amid the pandemic, the online Canton Fair provides them with a platform to connect with more clients and agree on orders, a manager of the group said.

Shanghai-based Ebasee Electric said it achieved great gains during the last online fair. The company held talks with 150 clients and signed contracts with six new buyers. The volume of transactions with new buyers exceeded $300,000 and the value of contracts signed with regular buyers surpassed $1 million.

Dong Changhe, general manager of Ebasee, said the company has launched a VR factory showroom for the fair this time, in a bid to help buyers learn more about its products and production process.

The company has also added more livestreams to demonstrate its products and services to its marketing department, Dong said.

“We will not only display our products, but also utilize the platform of Canton Fair to promote technological cooperation with overseas clients and thus to enhance our exclusive brands,” he added.