Kenyan traders at fair grow in number

Gao Wei, chairman of the board of Kenya-based China Information and Culture Communication (K) Ltd, has been taking Kenyan buyers to attend the China Import and Export Fair in South China’s Guangzhou since 2007.  

“At the beginning, only 14 people joined the trip,” Gao said. “The number increased to 33 the next year, and to more than 100 in the following years.” 

The main reason behind the increase, according to Gao, is that Kenyan traders have benefited greatly from the China Import and Export Fair, China’s signature trade event better known as the Canton Fair. 

Gao, a native of Lanzhou in Northwest China’s Gansu province, has been fascinated with Africa since her childhood and traveled to Kenya after graduating from college in 2004.

While studying languages in Nairobi, Gao decided to start a company to offer Chinese language courses, which he found lacking in Kenya. 

Most of the students taking the courses were from well-off families with trade and business connections. Gao learned from his students and other people that many traders in countries such as Kenya and Tanzania traded in Chinese products. 

But they sourced their goods mostly from Dubai instead of directly from China, which drove up the costs. The reason, according to Gao, was the fact that Kenyan buyers didn’t know much about China. They didn’t know where to find the right suppliers even if they were physically in China, and the language barrier was partly to blame.

Gao decided to step up and help Kenyan buyers find Chinese suppliers, and did so through the prestigious Canton Fair. 

Gao believes the fair is the best place for Kenyan buyers seeking information on trade and suppliers in China because it’s where the best in the industry come together. 

The Kenyan buyers attend the Canton Fair not only to purchase products they already need, but also to find new ones with new technology, Gao said. By interacting with people in their trade, the Kenyan visitors can gain a sense of where the industry is headed. 

Gao has made it part of his company’s business to take Kenyan businesspeople to the Canton Fair. The service package includes consultation, liaison and assistance with shipping and translation services. The service is tailored to the needs of companies of all sizes.