written by Wang Gongqing / translated by Ma Jinyu

The New Pattern Helps the CAEXPO Grow Prosperous

written by Wang Gongqing / translated by Ma Jinyu

When the plan for the CAFTA was launched in 2004, the CAEXPO also kicked off with the supports of China and the ten ASEAN countries. In the following years, the CAEXPO conforms to CAFTA’s development and continues to make progresses. It started to set up agriculture exhibition in 2009 and light industry products exhibition, forest and wood products exhibition, coff ee exhibition and cultural exhibition in 2010, being more specialized and building more platforms for China-ASEAN cooperation.

With 10 years’ achievements, the CAEXPO emphasized on building the platform for the upgraded version of the CAFTA and the construction of the 21st Century“Maritime Silk Road” in 2014, and took a leading role to form a pattern that one main exhibition and multiple specialized exhibitions coexist.

The New Pattern Has Been Formed

If we compare the CAEXPO to a tree, the main exhibition and multiple specialized exhibitions are like the trunk and branches of the tree.

The trunk means the main exhibition of the CAEXPO. It aims to fully display the latest advances of building the upgraded version of the CAFTA, serving as the test field and wind vane for upgrading the CAFTA. Following the success of the previous 10 CAEXPOs, the main exhibition of the 11th CAEXPO extended its scope and invited the RCEP members. Four distinct and promising ASEAN-related categories like food & drinks, consumer goods, bulk raw materials and service products have been exhibited in recent years.

The branches refer to multiple specialized exhibitions, which mainly focus on high-demand and complementary industries and choose the fields that both China and ASEAN have stronger intentions for cooperation. The specialized exhibitions shall be held at least once each quarter, with the purpose of being the most influential platform for China-ASEAN cooperation. The branches like agriculture exhibition, forest and wood products exhibition, coff ee exhibition, cultural exhibition as well as tourism exhibition are growing well.

The trunk provides adequate nutrition for branches and leaves, which also make the trunk look stronger. The main exhibition and multiple specialized exhibitions complement each other and develop together.

Agriculture Exhibition: The First Specialized Exhibition of the CAEXPO

The CAEXPO has set up the agriculture exhibition since 2009. As the first specialized exhibition, the CAEXPO tightly focused on the fields related to China-ASEAN agriculture and improved the platform for agricultural exchanges and cooperation. In 2011, it added an exhibition area for famous enterprises and conducted China-ASEAN fine fruits promotion. In 2013, exhibitions areas for farm machinery and qualify cocoon silk were set up. In 2014, the CAEXPO was specific to a particular area or brand, offering both China and ASEAN a pragmatic platform. The additional display area for the nationwide exhibition tour of Shanxi brands provided a stage for the popularization of Shanxi timehonored brands food and agricultural enterprises in China and ASEAN.

The 12th CAEXPO to be held in September 18-21 this year, will continue to set up the agricultural exhibition in Guangxi Exhibition Hall for the 7th consecutive year. Agricultural products of China and the ten ASEAN countries will show up together and create more business opportunities for China-ASEAN agricultural cooperation. A coffee feast, including Malaysia’s white coffee, Indonesia’s kopi luwak and Vietnam’s black coffee, will be launched again.

Forest and Wood Products Exhibition: The Largest Specialized Exhibition of the CAEXPO

A variety of choice Chinese and ASEAN forest and wood products, various economic and trade promotion activities as well as authoritative and high-profi le forums will be found at the forest and wood products exhibition.

The exhibition was born in 2010 to meet the construction of the upgraded version of the CAFTA and raise the professional level. As the largest specialized exhibition of the CAEXPO, the forest and wood products exhibition is strongly supported by State Forestry Administration, P.R.China. It promotes the cooperation and exchanges between Chinese and ASEAN enterprises and provides both sides an effective platform for forestry exchanges.

The degree of specialization is considered as a crucial mark for measuring specialized exhibition as well as a major standard for distinguishing the main exhibition. Only by constantly improving the degree of specialization, the specialized exhibition can get smooth development. The 12th CAEXPO will center on displaying furniture, plywood and wood structures, forestry equipment, flower seedling wood, forest foods and wood crafts etc. It can say that the forest and wood products exhibition, as a successful specialized exhibition of the CAEXPO, plays an important role for China-ASEAN forestry cooperation.

Cultural Exhibition: A Multi-cultural Feast

The increasingly close relations in the areas of politics, economics and cultural exchanges help China-ASEAN cultural exchange scale a new height. The role of cultural and peopleto-people exchange is becoming prominent. The cultural exhibition, which has been set up since the 11th CAEXPO, established a new platform for the cultural exchanges for China, ASEAN and the other countries or regions and facilitate the cooperation and development of cultural industries. This is of great significance to elevate the CAEXPO and propel the cultural exchanges between China and the ten ASEAN countries.

The cultural and economic promotion helps the CAEXPO achieve best effect at least cost. The 12th CAEXPO will continue to extend the features of the 11th CAEXPO, take“Co-build the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road -- Promote China-ASEAN Cultural Cooperation” as its theme, well build the cultural exhibition and showcase the cultural contents related to the characteristics of Chinese and ASEAN cultures, including publishing media, leisure and health, international cultures, non-material cultural heritages, ceramics and antique collections, thus to contribute to a variety of economic cooperation.

Tourism Exhibition: A New Specialized Exhibition of the 12th CAEXPO

The latest Chinese government report showed that the number of China’s outbound travel was more than 100 million in 2014. China will make efforts to upgrade tourism consumption and vigorously develop production services such as tourism, health and creative design. With abundant tourism resources, the ASEAN countries become the main destination countries of China’s outbound tourism. Hence, their cooperation will meet the supply and demand of two sides. The tourism exhibition, as a new specialized exhibition of the 12th CAEXPO, will comply with the bilateral cooperation needs and enrich CAEXPO’s brand content.

The tourist exhibition of CAEXPO will be permanently settled in Guilin and held in May 29-31, 2015. It will focus on displaying the tourist image, tourist commodities, tourist consumption and tourist technology etc. Besides, activities like tourism promotion of the Country of Honor, tourism entrepreneurs’ meetings and China-ASEAN Tourism Cooperation Forum will set up the bridge for bilateral tourism cooperation.

With 11 years’ journey, the CAEXPO has formed a pattern that one main exhibition and multiple specialized exhibitions coexist. By complementing each other, the main exhibition and specialized exhibitions will boost the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the construction of the upgraded version of the CAFTA.

book=62,ebook=64