The 31st East China Fair will open at the Shanghai New International Expo Center on July 12, unveiling a new chapter in the advancement of China's foreign trade.

 

Seen as a barometer of the global market and the country's import and export, this year's fair plans seven exhibition halls covering a total area of 80,500 square meters, with four sub-exhibitions on clothing, apparel fabrics, home ware and ornaments, and two special areas featuring overseas products and the cross-border e-commerce.

 

Over the past three decades, the fair has been dedicated to helping the domestic export-oriented companies to expand overseas markets and boosted the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region. The fair, which will end on July 15, has become one of the most prominent international economic and trade events in China. 

 

Boosting trade  

 

This year, the fair will set up a special zone for procurement matchmaking meetings and build a key platform for the online and offline communication between buyers and exhibitors. For example, buyers across the nation could negotiate with exhibitors via the "screen-to-screen" online mode.

 

Guests will deliver keynote speeches on topics such as the development of foreign trade, new opportunities and challenges, and the fair's role in stimulating the import and export of East China during the main forum. Other hot issues will cover the development of cross-border e-commerce, big data-based foreign trade and facilitation of financial services.

 

New exhibitions

 

To cater to the market demand, this year's fair will add new categories of exhibits such as the medical supplies for the elderly and outdoor products. It is to join hands with professional institutions to build a special exhibition area for cross-border e-commerce.

 

Multipronged approaches to enhancing publicity

 

This year's fair will optimize the investment promotion in three aspects — channels, contents and services.

 

It will strengthen cooperation with overseas trade organizations in China, combine online marketing with offline promotion and build social media platforms such as the WeChat Channels, Tencent's short video, and the Douyin short-video platform; the event will also introduce various forms of videos and graphics to enrich contents; and the fair will offer first-class services including procurement matchmaking meetings, tour guides for procurement groups, theme forum activities and hotel accommodation.