19th China Commodities Fair held in Astana

The 19th China Commodities Fair concluded in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sunday.

The three-day event attracted significant attention from government authorities and entrepreneurs alike, evolving over nearly 20 years into a powerful platform that fosters close business cooperation between the two countries, their regions, and enterprises.

“We know that the exhibition is a real and effective tool for promoting products in international markets. It provides a unique opportunity not only to showcase your products but also to establish direct contacts with potential partners, study new market trends, and strengthen your brand,” said Kairat Torebaev, vice minister of trade and integration of Kazakhstan.

“The China Commodities Fair is one of the examples of cooperation that is bringing closer the realization of the goals and decisions outlined by the leaders of our two countries. And Shandong Province is precisely located at the intersection of the ‘Belt and Road’,” said Wang Suilian, Chairperson of the Shandong Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce.

Over 230 companies from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Shaanxi, Gansu, and other Chinese provinces participated in the event. Many were exhibiting in Astana for the very first time, showcasing a diverse range of products.

The event also included a dedicated tasting zone where visitors could sample a variety of sweets, beverages, and other products.

The Chinese delegation was welcomed with an array of delectable treats, including dried fruits, candies, ice cream, traditional dumplings, and pancakes.

“I tried almost everything and enjoyed it all. I believe this exhibition will provide a powerful impetus for deepening and accelerating the trade and economic agreements between our countries, and it will undoubtedly contribute to fulfilling the goal set by our heads of state to double our bilateral trade turnover in the coming years,” said Zhang Xiao, Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan.

The exhibition featured a wide range of products across various categories, including food, textiles, apparel, construction materials, electronics, machinery, manufactured goods, and agricultural equipment.

Eldos Nursultan, a sales manager at a motorcycle company, expressed his satisfaction with the strong interest and positive reaction to the prices of the motorcycles he was displaying in his booth.

“Many people are coming over, asking about the price. They are surprised, asking, ‘Why is it so cheap?’ We already have several clients with whom we are coordinating supply issues. For example, they are interested in such motorcycles and want to buy 100 of that model. And they want 70 of this other model,” Nursultan said.

Maxim Pak, an entrepreneur from Oral, shared his excitement about bringing an innovative wastewater treatment technology to Kazakhstan.

“This technology does not yet exist in Kazakhstan. It is the treatment of wastewater from individual homes to large residential complexes. I understand that technology is unique, modern, and extremely important for our country at present. [So] I signed the contract, and I am now the distributor of this company — the representative in Kazakhstan,” Pak said.

For the first time this year, a Kazakhstani pavilion was set up at the exhibition. In the pavilion, 15 companies from various regions presented semi-finished products, oils, wines, and dairy products. Some of the products were already familiar to Chinese consumers.

“This is a great start ahead of the Shanghai exhibition, where we will participate in November. In general, China is interested in developing trade, but also in the investment, agriculture, mining, and energy industries,” said Assel Egemberdiyeva, deputy director general of QazTrade Centre for Trade Policy Development.

In addition, a series of informative seminars and targeted B2B meetings were organized during the fair. The organizers have expressed their intention to eventually hold this exhibition alternately in the cities of Astana and Almaty in the future.

China’s sports equipment and apparel market has posted strong sales growth following the country’s Olympic success and the renewed sports enthusiasm has led to the rise of more well-informed consumers. 

One of the Chinese delegation’s biggest success stories in Paris came on the tennis court, where young star Zheng Qinwen stunned the women’s world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals on her way to becoming the first Asian tennis player to win an Olympic singles gold. 

Inspired by star athletes, many amateur players and young hopefuls have pick up their rackets, boosting the sales of related equipment and pushing up prices. The type of racket that Zheng uses quickly gains popularity among tennis enthusiasts. 

“Many of our old trainees who already had rackets now come to me to buy this racket. [The prices of] tennis-related equipment rose by at least 30 to 40 percent,” said Huang Chunzhi, a tennis coach at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Sports Center in east China Zhejiang Province.

Badminton has also been given a boost thanks to the Olympic events. A badminton equipment retailer in Changsha, capital of central China’s Hunan Province has been selling badminton rackets, shuttlecocks and other accessories for 20 years. In the wake of the Pairs Games, the shop’s sales have doubled. The shop owner told CCTV that he’s receiving an increasing number of customers with professional knolwdges and specific needs.

“Now the consumers get very professional. They can find out what equipment they need and what type of players they are after searching on the Internet. They come to our store with their personal needs. There’s a notable change that after the Olympics, many consumers can name the specific type of equipment, racket and string they want. Our sales have increased significantly to more than double the usual figure,” said Xiong Wei, the owner.