Expo to boost Sino-South Asian trade

The China-South Asia Expo, which opened in Southwest China's Kunming, Yunnan province on Tuesday, is forecast to further promote trade and economic development, as well as tourism and cultural communication between China and South Asian countries, according to a senior official.

China as well as South Asian and Southeast Asian countries have been a human community with a shared future, and the expo aims to promote economic globalization and common prosperity of all countries, Wang Ning, Party secretary of Yunnan province, said during the expo's opening ceremony.

"We hope to turn more exhibits into commodities. This year, the expo has increased the number of South Asian exhibition halls to two, including more than 800 booths showcasing various South Asian specialties such as Pakistani jewelry and Afghan carpets," Wang said.

The expo, the eighth edition since 2013 when the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed, runs through Sunday. This year, 82 countries, regions and international organizations are participating in the event, with over 2,000 exhibiting companies — of which nearly half are overseas enterprises — covering all countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

With 15 exhibition halls, the expo will showcase achievements of industries with significant potential for economic and trade cooperation between China and South Asian countries. The sectors include green energy, modern agriculture, healthcare and cultural tourism.

"Yunnan boasts geographical advantages with abundant resources such as mineral resources, green electricity and plateau agriculture. Yunnan also serves as an important node connecting China and South Asia and Southeast Asia, and it has enormous potential for industrial investment," Wang said.

In particular, a coffee industry hall has been established for the first time at the expo in which over 160 industry players are participating. In addition, a dedicated national exhibition area has been set up for Pakistan, the country of honor this year.

In the past 11 years, the expo has facilitated cumulative foreign trade transactions worth over $100 billion and the signing of over 3,000 projects.

Last year, the trade value between China and South Asian countries reached nearly $200 billion, doubling from the level seen in 2013, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed.

Himalayan Threads, a handmade products maker from Nepal that offers hand-embroidered scarves, cashmere shawls and hand-woven bags, has set up three booths at the expo, and has brought more goods compared to last year, it said.

Ful Prasad Sharma, general manager of Himalayan Threads, said many Chinese consumers favor handmade products rather than machine-made ones, and the company has a large number of clients in Kunming.

"We participate in different kinds of big exhibitions in China, especially in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Lanzhou in Gansu province and Yinchuan in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region. The business is good," Sharma said.

Meanwhile, Shanghai-based MQ Coffee, a major domestic brand, is participating with its full product lineup at the expo this year. The company is showcasing local coffee beans produced in Lancang Lahu autonomous county under the city of Pu'er, Yunnan, with its unique anaerobic sun treatment process.

By participating in the expo, MQ Coffee said it hopes more people will understand and love coffee beans produced in Pu'er, Yunnan, known as China's coffee capital, and thus further promotes the development and prosperity of China's coffee industry.