Beijing: The China International Supply Chain Expo (Cisce), recently concluded in Beijing, marked a significant milestone as the world’s first national exhibition dedicated to supply chains. The event facilitated extensive cooperation, with over 200 agreements and tentative deals signed, totaling more than 150 billion yuan (approximately $21.1 billion), according to Zhang Shaogang, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the event’s organizer.
Zhang highlighted the successful outcomes of the expo, noting that nearly 50 multinational companies, including GE Healthcare, SAP, and iFlytek, have already committed to participating in next year’s event. These companies are eager to explore further opportunities for collaboration with global business partners.
The expo attracted more than 1,100 representatives from government sectors, business communities, and international organizations, providing a platform for discussions on the future of global industrial and supply chains. The exhibition featured over 510 domestic and international companies, ranging from top global enterprises to innovative small and medium-sized businesses. The focus was on showcasing advancements in sectors such as smart vehicles, sustainable agriculture, clean energy, digital technologies, and health and lifestyle products.
Participants expressed that Cisce offers a valuable venue for enhancing international cooperation in supply chains. By sharing resources and building complementary strengths, the expo aims to support the recovery and growth of the global economy.
Growing Interest in the Chinese Market
Foreign exhibitors, including major U.S. companies like Tesla and Apple, recognized China’s pivotal role in global supply chains. They expressed a strong interest in deepening their cooperation with Chinese firms, viewing this as integral to their long-term strategies for innovation and sustainability.
Isabel Ge Mahe, Apple’s vice president and managing director for the Greater China Region, emphasized the importance of China in Apple’s global supply chain. She highlighted that a significant portion of Apple’s suppliers operate in China, underscoring the country’s critical role in their production processes. At the expo, Apple showcased its intelligent and green manufacturing technologies, developed in collaboration with Chinese suppliers.
Advancing Green Energy Collaboration
The expo also spotlighted cutting-edge technologies in clean energy and green transformation, key areas for China’s decarbonization efforts. Jean-Marc Taton, chairman of ExxonMobil China, discussed the company’s collaboration with Chinese partners to promote liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a reliable and lower-carbon energy source. Taton shared plans to double ExxonMobil’s LNG supply by 2030 and expressed enthusiasm for future joint ventures with Chinese companies to meet the growing demand for cleaner energy solutions.
Similarly, Tomasz Szypula, president of the Poland Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, noted the significant potential for cooperation in China’s clean energy market. Szypula expressed a keen interest in collaborating with Chinese businesses on various projects aimed at enhancing sustainability.
Focus on Small and Medium Enterprises
While major agreements between leading companies from the U.S. and China were a highlight, the expo also provided a platform for smaller businesses to forge partnerships. Szypula emphasized the importance of fostering cooperation among smaller enterprises, a goal effectively supported by the CCPIT through the expo.
A survey by the CCPIT indicated that nearly 90 percent of exhibitors found the expo to be highly effective in promoting partnerships within their supply chains.
Representing Thai businesses, Sasivimol Jitbanterngpan, president of Thai-Chinese 168 Inter Technology Co. Ltd., observed a strong interest in health and lifestyle products from Chinese consumers. She expressed plans to bring more Thai companies to future Cisce events, inspired by the robust consumer demand witnessed at the expo.
The Cisce has set the stage for continued global collaboration, driving innovation and strengthening supply chain networks worldwide.
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