Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Zhuhai exhibitors reaped an export volume of $960 million during the 123rd Canton Fair which concluded on May 5, an increase of 3.8 percent over last year.

The turnover of machinery and electronic products made in Zhuhai totaled $755 million, accounting for 78.6 percent of the export volume.

Fifteen well-known brand enterprises from Zhuhai, including Gree Electric Appliances, Joy Perfect Energy, Elec-Tech International, Tianwei Feima Printing Materials and EastComPeace took part in the fair with a series of products featuring proprietary intellectual property rights, self-owned brands and high technology.

Gree Electric Appliances, together with its three major brands, Gree, Kinghome and Tosot, sold air-conditioners worth $450 million to the overseas market.

Small and medium-sized private enterprises (SMEs), accounting for 74 percent of the Zhuhai exhibitors, were able to bring new products with stronger competitiveness and intensified technological R&D input to the fair. The export turnover of consumption digital products of Zhuhai Economic Zone CET Enterprise Co hit $207 million.

Five exhibitors were newly selected to the fair based on comprehensive evaluation of their export performance, patent technology and self-owned brands.

Based on on-the-spot surveys, although the overall transaction volume has grown in general, exports to North America, especially to the United States, have slipped a bit. Meanwhile, orders and transaction volume with countries along the Belt and Road, particularly India ($139 million) and the Middle East ($136 million) have enjoyed a dramatic growth. Transactions in the EU market remain stable generally, with a total of $134 million.

According to an official at the Municipal Commercial Affairs Bureau, this momentum shows that Zhuhai enterprises have grasped the opportunity of the Belt and Road Initiative and are actively exploring new markets to improve foreign trade competitiveness.