A promotional event aimed at encouraging businesses in the Middle East to participate in the fifth China International Import Expo, which will take place in Shanghai this November, was held online on March 29.

More than 180 representatives of companies in the region attended the event and watched presentations about the expo's trade in services, consumer goods, as well as food and agricultural products exhibition areas.

China and the United Arab Emirates have maintained close relationships over recent years and the UAE government and companies have reaped benefits from their consistent participation in the CIIE since 2018, said Wu Yi, a counsellor at the Consulate General of the PRC in Dubai.

Daniel Sellers, chief representative of the Dubai Chamber China Office, said the CIIE has become one of the best channels for Middle Eastern companies to enter the Chinese market. He added that the chamber, a member of the delegation led by the UAE Ministry of Economy, has played an active role in many forums and matchmaking sessions during the previous editions of the CIIE.

According to Yu Xiaolei, a director responsible for attracting Chinese businesses at the Khalifa Industrial Zone in Abu Dhabi, the CIIE is the best platform to showcase products and services and establish connections with potential Chinese customers. The industrial zone has participated in the CIIE three years in a row since 2019 and was impressed by the large number of visitors, added Yu.

President of Chongqing Hongyi Jiuzhou International Culture and Art Development Co Zhang Hang said his company hopes to introduce cultural intellectual properties in the Middle East to China and partner with the region's museums to hold exhibitions and academic exchange activities in major Chinese cities. The company clinched deals worth about $100 million during the fourth CIIE last year.

About 70 companies from eight Middle Eastern countries attended the fourth CIIE, occupying a combined 2,500 square meters of exhibition space. A variety of local specialties, such as Syrian olive oil, Persian carpet and the UAE's dates, have proved popular among Chinese customers.

By Zhao Luyang