Decoding “Small WCIF”: Backed by Western China International Fair, the 2nd Western China International Fair Import and Export Expo and International Investment Conference Is to Be Held in Chengdu in S…

Source:查看原文  Date：2017-09-01

“We'll be sure to organize enterprises to participate!” Wu Yuanbo, Business Assistant of Sri Lanka Embassy in China has recently started to pay attention to a conference to be convened in Sichuan in September—2017 Western China International Fair Import and Export Expo and International Investment Conference.

Western China International Fair Import and Export Expo and International Investment Conference is held in every two years, in the year when there is no Western China International Fair. It makes good use of the platform and resources of such Fair. So it is also called the “Small Western China International Fair”.

Why to hold “Small Western China International Fair”

To both serve local real economy by using the brand of Western China International Fair and improve the influence of such Fair

To hold a sub-activity is the choice of Western China International Fair.

In 2014, Western China International Fair was included in the major forums and conferences of mechanism nature concerning foreign affairs or nationals planned at the state level. It is to be held in every two years, and the first bye year was 2015.

“Having had 16 terms, Western China International Fair has won great influence at home and abroad. This year, we are to make use of the platform and resources of Western China International Fair to hold the Import and Export Expo.” For relevant responsible persons of Sichuan Bureau of Expo Affairs, to organize the Expo in the bye year of Western China International Fair could not only serve the local real economy with the international fair brand, but also lift the influence of the Fair and effectively prepare for the next term of Fair. In particular, against the backdrop of strengthening all-round innovation reform pilot and advancing the construction of free trade zone in Sichuan, the Import and Export Expo could serve as a significant way to explore how to provide a good service by the major conferences and exhibitions.

In opinion of Luo Qiuju, Vice Dean of Sun Yat-Sen University School of Tourism Management, no rest in the bye year is a common practice of many international famous conferences and exhibition.

Taking EMO Hanover, electronica in every two years and the Conexpo-Con/Agg in every three years as examples, they would have relevant salons, forums, etc., in the bye years. Some famous conferences and exhibitions would even hold overseers sub-fairs.

In 2015, the first bye year, the Western China (Sichuan) International Fair Import and Export Expo and International Investment Conference was held in Sichuan, including 103 economic and trading activities and inspections of different types, attracting guests from 39 countries and regions. At the conference, 713 official projects valuing above RMB30 million were signed, with investments totalizing RMB572.086 billion.

According to the insiders, after the successful holding of the first “Small Western China International Fair”, it is for sure that the second would be organized, in 2017.

How to set the direction of “Small Western China International Fair”

Closely consistent with national and provincial strategies, well serving the real economy and fully considering the characteristics of its own

Compared with the major and comprehensive Western China International Fair, “Small Western China International Fair” is more focused and featured.

“The Import and Export Expo is the result of demands gathering.” According to the relevant responsible person of Sichuan Bureau of Expo Affairs, the fair should be closely consistent with the national and provincial directions, well serve the real economy and meanwhile fully consider the features of its own. Eventually, it is “set as an import and export expo both well serving the Belt and Road Initiative and driving Sichuan-based enterprises to going global”.

Compared with the “Small Western China International Fair” in 2015, topics of this term are more detailed, making the focuses clearer for the outside world. “We hope to contact foreign businesses, especially in countries along the Belt and Road, to work for our service to go global,” said Yu Xin, responsible person of an engineering design enterprise in Sichuan.

As introduced by the relevant responsible person of Sichuan Bureau of Expo Affairs, based on the key industries, regions and countries involving in opening up of Sichuan, the Expo would consist of the industrial cooperation, commodity trade and service trade segments.

To be specific, the industrial cooperation segment would have the electronic information exhibition zone and an equipment manufacturing exhibition zone. In the commodity trade segment are the imported liquor, drinks and food exhibition zone, imported fashionable apparel exhibition zone, imported infant & mom and daily necessities exhibition zone, and the imported handiworks exhibition zone. Besides, the national pavilions for BRICKS and countries along the Belt and Road would be added. The exhibition zone of local features would also be set up, for showing the quality characteristic products of cities (prefectures) of Sichuan and other provinces (cities and prefectures). In the third segment are the import & export channel and carrier exhibition zone, centralized exhibition of quality services of free trade zone, comprehensive bonded zone, China-Europe Train—Chengdu-Europe Fast Railway and all kinds of open ports and other institutions.

Notably, having fully considering needs of local economic development, the Import and Export Expo would also include the 10th Western China International Sourcing Fair, China-Europe Train (Chengdu) International Cooperation Forum and other international events, Western China (Sichuan) International Investment Conference, the General Aviation Forum and other professional forums. 

It is likely to form the “Small Western China International Fair” brand cluster

Adding other series of conferences and exhibitions based on needs of economical and social development, echoing with Western China International Fair

On March 8 in local time, the first overseas presentation of the Import and Export Expo was commenced in France, which attracted more than 60 representatives of enterprises and chambers of commerce in aerospace, intelligent manufacturing, environmental protection, education, tourism, finance, automobile and other industries, and government officials. Many of them expressed to organize groups to attend the Import and Export Expo.

 “The Import and Export Expo is aimed at the hot issues and needs at home and abroad. That’s why it is warmly accepted,” in Wu Yuanbo’s opinion, taking Sri Lanka as an example, their enterprises want to make fortune in China, so do ours. And thus, the Import and Export Expo could be a popular platform for them.

“To meet the needs, for the ‘Small Western China International Fair’, besides the Import and Export Expo, we would try to hold other fairs in the bye years of Western China International Fair,’ said the relevant responsible person of Sichuan Bureau of Expo Affairs. In the future, other series of fairs would be added in Sichuan, to form the “Small Western China International Fair” brand cluster, to echo with the Western China International Fair. 

In opinion of Meng Fansheng, Dean of Harbin University of Commerce, School of Management, Department of Convention and Exhibition, activity subjects of conferences and exhibitions in the bye years could be diverse, but the core values—to lift the popularity, awareness and influence of the conference and exhibition—can’t be changed. To reach such goal, we must start with meeting the needs of real economy. Only in such way could we continue to effectively hold fairs. Just like the Western China International Fair, the name remain unchanged with subject of each terms changed. That’s also the reason for its continuously growing influence. 

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