Hainan Expo gets heavyweight backing as Organizing Committee gathers online

CHINA. In a key moment for the inaugural China Consumer Products Expo (Hainan Expo), to be held on 7-10 May in Hainan, the first plenary meeting of the Organizing Committee was held by video conference yesterday with a host of powerful figures in attendance.

The gathering underlined the political importance of the event, which is being organised by Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development (Hainan IEDB) as a key platform to promote the Hainan Free Trade Port. The Expo has attracted the support of many of China’s and the world’s leading retailers and brands.

Wang Wentao, Director of the Organizing Committee and Minister of Commerce; and Feng Fei, Director of the Organizing Committee and Governor of Hainan Province, attended and delivered well-received speeches.

Wang Bingnan, Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, presided over the meeting and announced the official establishment of the 1st China International Consumer Products Expo Organizing Committee.

Ni Qiang, Secretary General of the Hainan Provincial Government, members of the Organizing Committee, and officials from the Ministry of Commerce and relevant departments of the Hainan Provincial Government attended the meeting.

Shen Danyang, Deputy Director of the Organizing Committee and Vice Governor of the Hainan Provincial Government, briefed attendees on the progress and preparatory work for the Expo.

Wang Wentao pointed out that the Consumer Expo is an important initiative to serve the construction of a new development pattern in Hainan. It will stimulate domestic consumption (also called internal circulation), promote the concept of ‘dual circulation’ (bi-lateral trade with the outside world), and promote the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

The Consumer Expo will bring together a powerful range of high-quality international and domestic brands and producers, optimise domestic supply, and help promote the formation of a strong local market, the meeting was told. The Expo will also promote the Free Trade Port to the world and accelerate the development of service innovation. In turn this will create a new ‘high ground’ for opening up to the outside world, and form a ‘virtuous circle’ in terms of openness.

Feng Fei described the event as an important way for Hainan to integrate into the new economic development pattern, and to drive the implementation of a series of Free Trade Port policies.

The organisers estimate that between 3,000 and 5,000 professional buyers and up to 50,000 high-end consumers will visit the Expo each day. Confirmed attendees include procurement representatives from China Duty Free Group (CDFG), Wangfujing Group and several of Hainan’s newly established offshore duty free retailers, China Resources Mixc, Swire Group and Dashang Group among other domestic and foreign duty free operators, high-end retailers, large-scale supermarkets, commercial real estate companies, and leading luxury goods ecommerce platforms.

Buyers from member companies of various international Chambers of Commerce have been confirmed as attending the Expo, including the China Chamber of Commerce. Also, China Chain Store & Franchise Association will organise member companies to source from the exhibition.

More than 200 global brands have now confirmed their participation at the Expo, Hainan IEDB revealed. These include a number of prominent brand owners in the travel retail channel such as Rémy CointreauL’Oréal, Edrington Group, Pernod Ricard and Shiseido. Foreign brands account for nearly 80% of all Expo exhibitor bookings, the organiser noted.

 

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