Expo shows wares from around the globe

A large trade expo is expected to kick off on Oct 27 in the city of Dongguan, Guangdong province, with many exhibitors from countries along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road attending.

The Guangdong 21st Century Maritime Silk Road International Expo offers 2,626 booths. More than half of them have been reserved by international exhibitors, said the organizers.

The four-day event is organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Guangdong Committee, the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province, the Guangzhou Government and the Dongguan Government.

The event, part of the Guangdong government's efforts to implement China's Belt and Road Initiative, will deepen trade relations between the province and Maritime Silk Road countries, and will help to improve the province's opening-up.

According to the organizers, the expo will comprise a themed exhibition and six additional professional ones.

The themed exhibition will be dedicated to major infrastructure investment opportunities, including ports, high-speed railways and telecom projects, in countries along the Maritime Silk Road.

It will also showcases high-tech companies in China, especially Guangdong province, and cross-border e-commerce platforms.

Among others, Gree Electric Appliances, Sany Heavy Industry and Xugong Construction Machinery will showcase their latest products.

A professional purchasing team from China examines textile products at the Indian Pavilion at last year's expo on Oct 29. Zheng Zhibo / for China Daily

One of the six professional exhibitions will cover tourism along the Maritime Silk Road. Exhibitors will show tourism and cultural products as well as intangible heritage programs in Guangdong province and foreign countries.

It is designed to facilitate transport links between the province and countries along the Maritime Silk Road.

Another professional exhibition will be dedicated to construction materials and machinery, offering opportunities to companies specializing in construction, decoration and machinery production.

The third exhibition will mainly showcase food, agricultural produce and seafood from Guangdong province and countries along the Maritime Silk Road.

The other three professional exhibitions will aim to remind people of products that would have featured on the ancient Maritime Silk Road, with major exhibits including tea, silk and porcelain.

In addition to Chinese exhibitors, the expo, which is now in its third year, is becoming increasingly attractive internationally.

Statistics show that exhibitors from 52 countries and regions will attend the event, and 39 countries and regions along the Maritime Silk Road have set up their pavilions to showcase their specialties to visitors from around the world.

Among others, the Malaysian business delegation will have 276 booths in their pavilion at the expo, the most for all foreign countries, with such commodities as white coffee, ginseng, chocolate and cocoa displayed.

A total of 21 Cambodian exhibitors will attend the event, mainly showcasing their gems, as well as agricultural produce including rice and coffee beans.

South African exhibitors will show their jewelry, red wines, handicrafts and sea products at 50 booths.

Italian exhibitors will woo the audience with their well-known food and wines.

The organizers said five national, 14 provincial-level and 20 overseas trade associations, as well as multinationals such as Carrefour and Wal-mart will attend the event.

They expect that around 25,000 purchasers will come to the expo, some 20 percent more than last year, with the estimated sum of combined deals set to hit 200 billion yuan ($29.68 billion).