Zambia yesterday represented by Minister of Commerce, Trade and industry Christopher Yaluma participated in the 2020 China International Import Expo (CIIE) through a visual meeting.
The CIIE is a global event and has earned itself great recognition of being a viable platform for promoting investment and deepening multilateral trade and economic integration.
Speaking during the same meeting, Republican President of China Xi Jinping said over the past years the CIIE has enabled the exhibit to become traded goods and the exhibitors to start more exhibit opportunities.
President Jinping said the expo acts as a major platform for international procurement for investment promotions and country exchange making it an international public good for the world to share.
He noted that the CIIE has this year drawn a large number of businesses around the globe and the exhibition area has expanded by 30, 000 square meters.
The Chinese leader further noted that COVID-19 has put countries through a touch test and China has put major strategic gains in controlling the virus.
President Jinping explained that the Chinese economy is steadily picking up evidence of 0.7% growth in foreign trade which is a major contribution to economic recovery in the world.
“Out of solidarity with other countries in fighting Covid-19, the Chinese people have shared full experience and done their best to assist in international communities,” he added.
And President of the Republic of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa said as the world embarks on the economic recovery in the wake of Covid-19, it is necessary to promote global investment and trade.
President Ramaphosa said the CIIE is the largest exhibition in the world and gives an opportunity to companies around the world to connect with the Chinese market and for Chinese companies to form ties with companies from other countries.
He disclosed that the number of companies participating in the exposition this year is higher than the past two years.
“For the African Continent, this could not have come at a better time than now, we are just two months away from the first trading date of the African Continental Free Trade Area which will be the largest trading area in the world,” he stated.
The CIIE is playing a pivotal catalytic role in deepening multilateral trade and increasing exports of participating countries into the wider China market.
