By Pan Yingqiu

Yunnan Expo Boosts China-ASEAN Trade Cooperation

By Pan Yingqiu

A cultural show held during the 2017 South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair, held in Kunming, Yunnan Province.

China's southwestern province seen as a window to South and Southeast Asian markets

Vietnamese coffee, Sri Lankan black tea, Thai Tom Yum Goong, Malaysian tin crafts, Nepalese Thangka and Afghan carpets are all attractive to potential Chinese buyers, while China’s plant protection unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and Yunnan plateau’s agricultural products drew particular attention from foreign attendees at the 2017 South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair (SSACEIF), held on June 12-18 at the the Dianchi International Conference and Exhibition Center in Kunming, capital of southwestern China’s Yunnan Province.

The Expo was attended by more than 4,000 companies from 86 countries and regions around the world.

Fruitful Achievements

Liu Qilin, director of Yunnan International Exposition Bureau and deputy director of the executive committee of the 2017 edition of SSACEIF, said that of the 4,000 companies in attendance at the Expo, 42 percent were from outside China. Of those, 33 Belt and Road countries and regions were represented.

Pakistan and Laos served as theme country and guest ofhonor, respectively, at the Expo. The display and promotion of their own competitive industries, national culture and regional customs contributed to furthering the economic and trade cooperation and people-topeople exchanges between China and South and Southeast Asia. The week-long event with the theme of “Creating New Opportunities for New Development” consisted of 18 major activities focused on interconnectivity, economic and trade cooperation, cultural and people-to-people exchanges and think tank interaction. These themes serve as platforms for enhancing communication, promoting friendship and deepening cooperation between China and South and Southeast Asian countries.

On the sidelines of the Expo, a series of events were held, including the 12th China-South Asia Business Forum, the 15th ASEAN Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs Conference, the China-South Asia Think Tank Forum and the China-South/ Southeast Asia Arts Week. The China-Southeast Asia Business Forum and the Summit Forum on Marine Bio-resources Protection and Utilization were being held for the first time. There were 17 exhibition halls at the Expo. These included booths for South Asia, ASEAN, Tourism, Health-Related Industries & Marine Bio-pharmacy, Manufacturing, International Production Capacity Cooperation, International Sister Cities, Taiwan, Chinese Mainland, Plateau Agriculture, Electro-Mechanical Equipment, Stone Art and a Wood Culture Expo. In addition, there were special exhibition spaces for the theme country and the guest of honor.

The Expo attracted 500,000 visitors. Contracts signed during the Expo included 357 domestic investment projects worth 488 billion yuan (US$75 billion), 32 foreign investment projects worth 10.7 billion yuan (US$1.65 billion) and four overseas investment projects worth 3.5 billion yuan (US$538 million).

Multilateral Diplomacy in Action

Somsavat Lengsavad, former deputy prime minister of Laos and adviser to the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, and Sahas Banditkul, former deputy prime minister of Thailand, joined 6,000 other guests, including former politicians and current senior government officials and diplomats from 86 countries and regions, at the Expo.

Suraj Vaidya, President of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAARC CCI), Yang Xiuping, Secretary-General of ASEANChina Center (ACC) and Than Myint, Minister of Commerce of Myanmar, attended the Expo as VIP guests. Each of them recognized the significance and importance of the Expo as a platform of multilateral diplomacy. As Yunnan Province is located near South and Southeast Asian countries, it is expected to play a role as a gateway in the construction of the Belt and Road.

A Thai cook presenting the ingredients of Tom Yum Goong at the Thailand booth.

Chen Hao, Secretary of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, said at the opening ceremony that the aim of this Expo was to promote the practical economic and trade cooperation between China and South and Southeast Asian countries.

Seba Pawlowski of S&A, a Polish jewelry maker, believes that Yunnan is a vital window that China can use to work and trade with South and Southeast Asian countries. The aim of S&A’s presence at the Expo was to promote Polish Baltic amber to Chinese customers. At the same time, they also showed interest in tapping into South and Southeast Asian markets.

As the guest of honor and the rotating chair of the China-Southeast Asia Business Forum, Laos sent 22 enterprises to the Expo. Commodities with distinct Lao features were displayed at 56 different booths. China’s Belt and Road Initiative is in line with Laos’ initiative to become a “l(fā)andlinked” nation.

Top: The Expo's opening ceremony was held on June 12.

Bottom: Visitors complete some last minute shopping before the Expo's closure on June 18.

“This will bring about a lot of opportunities and well - being to both countries and peoples,” said a member of the Lao delegation. “It means a lot for Laos to participate in the Expo as the guest of honor and the rotating chair of the forum. We’ll seize the opportunity to promote the traditional friendship between our countries. Pragmatic cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and other sectors will serve the economic and social development of Laos well.”

Chen Zhou, Vice President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, commented that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative has received a positive response in South and Southeast Asian countries.

Chinese Products Popular

At the Expo, UAVs designed for various purposes, including agriculture, surveying and mapping, policing and power line maintenance, attracted a large number of curious visitors.

“On June 12 alone, more than 1,000 visitors stopped by our booth for information and consultation,” said Rong Guoqiang, Vice President of Yunnan Gaoke Company, a manufacturer of high tech goods.“Quite a few of them placed orders.”

With its own advanced technology, Gaoke now makes 5,000 UAVs per year. Gaoke’s crop protection UAVs are dustproof, water-proof and corrosionproof. The maximum capacity of their pesticide box is 16 liters. The UAVs can spray 7.5-8 hectares of crops per hour, 60-80 times more efficient than manual operation. In addition, the UAVs are designed for precision spray, power cut spray and intelligent obstacle avoidance, a preferred product for precision agriculture services.

Also on display at the Expo were agricultural products such as the traditional brand“Angel” potato chips and crispy mushrooms, both of which attracted a large number of visitors.

The Yunnan Agricultural Reclamation Group was also at the Expo, showcasing their achievements in Yunnan’s specialty plateau agriculture. On display at its booth were Yunnanbrand agricultural products, such as tea, vegetable, coffee and fruit from each of the province’s 16 prefectures. The products embody the concept of environmentally friendly development of Yunnan’s agriculture, while also maintaining the local products’unique characteristics.

During the week-long Expo, Yunnan Agricultural Reclamation Group achieved sales amounting to 48,820 yuan (US$7,510) and reached cooperation agreements with a number of companies. Seizing the opportunity provided by the event, the group displayed its image and introduced its specialty agricultural products to a broader customer base.