With the world on the brink of a trade war thanks to President Trump's tariffs on imports to the U.S., China is looking to boost business from overseas.

A high-ranking Chinese delegation has arrived in Europe to drum up interest in its annual import trade exhibition held in Shanghai later this year.

The China International Import Exhibition (CIIE) claims to be the world's only trade fair dedicated to imports.

Started in 2018, it attracts more than 3,000 companies covering trade, finance and technology with a British contingent having attended from the very beginning.

The head of the exhibition, Deputy Director Wu Zhengping, is in London meeting UK companies looking to establish or expand their presence in China.

"I think the philosophy of China is to prosper with the rest of the world. We would like to encourage more imports from other countries into the Chinese market," Wu said. 

"We would like to share the development opportunity and the vast market of the Chinese people to the rest of the world."

Business expansion

The forum, held at the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China offices in London on Friday, attracted many newcomers who have yet to attend the exhibition. One example is international law firm Addleshaw Goddard, whose senior partner Aster Crawshaw told CGTN Europe: "We're all looking to expand our business in the Chinese market and it's really important for us to get to know the market better.

"It's a really important market for us but we've not been to the expo and we're interested to hear more about it and see if it's something we might want to participate in going forward."

Food and drink is one of the sectors being encouraged and this year British participants are being offered a free stand to exhibit their wares. That includes a company that has a track record of selling tea to China.

Ahmad Tea focuses on speciality teas and has a joint venture in Nanchang where it sources all its green teas. Now it is looking to build its distribution network for black and fruit teas

Tim Conner, business development manager, said: "We've attended CII Expo since its inauguration, so this will be our eighth attendance. The key for me is it's such a dynamic market in China. It changes so quickly so it's key to understanding what's happening in the market. 

"It really gives us a better insight and it's a great networking event and meeting potential distributors."

With business worth $130 billion a year, China is the UK's fifth largest trading partner in goods and services. But Britain imports from China more than twice as much it exports.

Mood music in the UK

All this comes as the British government has begun improving relations with China with a focus on trade and the environment.

John McLean is chairman of the China Britain Business Development Centre and has just returned from a trip to China.

"The mood music in the British sector in China is that the opportunities are there," McLean said. "There is an attitude and an atmosphere of collaboration and partnership. 

"So for us in Britain, it is now time to make that change in approach and follow the government's policy of growth."

Friday's meeting marks the start of the European roadshow looking to attract more exports to China. The next step is Paris followed by Geneva.

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