7th CSA Expo concludes with better-than-expected results
The 7th China-South Asia Exposition (CSA Expo) and the 27th China Kunming Import and Export Fair came to an end on August 20.
The 7th CSA Expo saw 483 projects signed, of which 342 projects were signed with an investment of 412.6 billion yuan, while 141 business contracts were signed with a value of 10.5 billion US dollars. Sales at the physical exhibition halls added up to 60 million yuan.
The guest numbers were larger than expected, the event effects were bigger than expected, the trading volumes were higher than expected, the online displays were visited by more, and the feedbacks were better than expected.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road cooperation, as well as the 10th birthday of the CSA Expo. Through a decade of hard work, the expo is increasingly appealing among international friends.
Innovation helps in expo branding
Over the past ten years, the CSA Expo has been innovative and appealing.
The 7th CSA Expo featured brand new pavilions for resource economy, port economy, industrial parks, and regional cooperation.
The new digital platform of the expo integrated online and offline displays.
The live streaming was first listed as an official event during the expo.
International guests had in-depth exchanges of views, looking for opportunities to dip into the blue ocean of the huge Chinese market.
The secretary of Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs briefed on the country’s specialties of cashmere shawls, jewelry, soybean oil and palm oil. The director of the Sri Lankan Bureau of Commerce introduced the tastes of Ceylon black tea. Acting consul general of Pakistan in Chengdu spoke highly of the Pakistan-Yunnan cooperation.
They said: "The CSA Expo is not only for business, but also for friendship", "We’ve got confidence in CSA Expo", "Many opportunities, good business" and "We’ll surely come next year".
Orders increase confidence
As a key platform for Yunnan to invite in investment, the CSA Expo has injected momentum into provincial industrial investment cooperation over the past ten years.
The Fortune 500 companies, the Chinese top 500 businesses and other leading enterprises showed their confidence in Yunnan with tangible projects and orders.
The international guests at the business forums and trade activities discussed on financial aid for opening-up, exporting Yunnan products, smart transportation and driver-less cars, seeking new paths and new cooperation.
In the exhibition halls, face-to-face communications and match makings allowed international exhibitors to share the Yunnan opportunities.
During the expo, some 70 intentional procurement cooperation agreements were signed with a sum of 143.7 billion yuan.
Yunnan is the window for China to open up to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The province stands out in industrial transfer, green resources and infrastructure construction, and the sound administrative service makes it a good investment destination, said Yang Tianming, deputy general manager of China Power International New Energy Technology (Hangzhou), signing a 2.35-billion-yuan project.
Joining hands for common development
At the 2023 GMS Economic Corridor Governors Forum, the participants said that over the years, the forum topics have evolved from the Kunming-Bangkok Highway to the Lancang-Mekong international shipping lane, the China-Laos Railway and now the China-Myanmar new trade corridor. But what remains unchanged was the excitement from connectivity progress.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said: "China’s development has brought development opportunities to neighboring countries and regions, injecting more stability into the turbulent world."
Mahesh Saharia, Chairman of Center for Promotion of India-China Cooperation said: "Now opportunities and challenges coexist. But as long as we stay in unity, all obstacles will be eliminated."
Tandy Wangchuk, President of Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said the CSA Expo provides a valuable opportunity for all parties to strengthen ties, jointly meet challenges, and explore partnerships for sustainable growth. It will be conducive to new momentum for regional development.
Yunnan border areas promoting specialties
In the Baoshan exhibition area of the 7th CSA Expo’s modern-agriculture pavilion, local produces such as coffee and tea were highly popular, allowing the world to sense the fragrance of Baoshan.
In the Honghe exhibition area of the port-economy pavilion, local vegetables, fruits, flowers and tea were sold via live streaming, with sales exceeding 120,000 yuan.
A Yunnan-based unmanned aircraft institute signed a cooperation agreement with the Mile municipal government, saying 500 million yuan will be invested in the next five years to establish a UAV institute, a UAV industrial park, and a UAV driver school.
At the 11th China-South Asia & Southeast Asia Arts Week, a side event of the 7th CAS Expo, Honghe prefecture saw its Yi embroidery and purple pottery admired by international guests for their unique charm.
In Pu'er exhibition area, the avocado, coffee and black tea from Menglian county were favored by 20 international exhibitors, with initial cooperation agreements for ordering 800 tons of goods reached.
On August 18, the Dehong area of China (Yunnan) Pilot Free Trade Zone had an investment promotion and road show at the expo, allowing the Dehong businesses to forge closer ties with their peers from Myanmar and Laos. The event also injected new impetus into bilateral socioeconomic development.
Source: Yunnan Daily; editing by Zhu Dongran; translating by Wang Shixue