Fuzhou, May 18 (chinanews.com) (Reporter: Long Min, Yan Xu) The Fourth 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Expo and the 23rd Cross-Straits Fair for Economy and Trade opened in Fuzhou City, Fujian Province on May 18th, attracting over 2,400 guests and businessmen from 65 groups at home and abroad, including representatives from the embassies and consulates of Pakistan, Indonesia, the Philippines and other countries in China, Pacific Islands Trade & Investment Commission (PTI), South American Trade Center and other foreign institutions and business associations in China.

Photo of the North Korea Pavilion (by Reporter Wang Dongming from China News Services)

As one of the important birthplaces of the ancient “Maritime Silk Road”, Fuzhou is seizing the opportunities brought by multiple preferential policies, including Pilot Free Trade Zone, Core Area of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, Fuzhou New Area and National Innovation Demonstration Zone, to promote a new round of opening up.

Photo of visitors attracted by the Indonesia Pavilion (by Reporter Wang Dongming from China News Services)

The Fourth 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road Expo has more complete functions as an international cooperation platform on the Maritime Silk Road. According to Mr. Hang Dong, Deputy Mayor of Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government, this Expo has invited enterprises and agents based in China from 80 countries and regions along the Belt and Road, despite of obstacles to international trade generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of the participating countries and regions along the Belt and Road of the Expo remained at the highest level as it was before the pandemic.

As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of China-Pakistan diplomatic relations, Pakistan was invited as the guest of honor at the Expo, and the launching ceremony of the Pakistan Pavilion and a promotion for Pakistan products were held. Mr. Hang Dong said that this Expo has set up 14 exhibitions areas around “Maritime Silk Road Cooperation”, “Shared Development” and other themes, with a total exhibition area of 100,000 square meters and 3,800 booths.

Photo of the exhibition area of imports along the Maritime Silk Road (by Reporter Wang Dongming from China News Services)

As important parts of the Expo, events, such as the 16th China (Fujian) Commodity Global Purchasing Fair, New Opportunities by RCEP - Fujian Textile Shoes and Apparel Industry International Cooperation Seminar and 2021 Maritime Silk Road Forum for Fujian and Overseas Chinese Young Elites were held successively.

Among these events, the 16th China (Fujian) Commodity Global Purchasing Fair organized a special activity on green food, and helped Fujian enterprises in food industry expand the markets along the Belt and Road by adopting an online and offline matching mode. Mr. Xie Xuhua, Vice Chairman of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, Fujian Sub-Council, introduced that up to now, 56 high-quality suppliers have been invited to participate in the Expo, and more than 30 overseas purchasers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and other countries and regions have registered to participate. (The end)

Source: chinanews.com

Translation: the Secretariat