The opening reception of the 102nd session of China Import and Export Fair

The 102nd Chinese Import and Export Fair (CIEF or Canton Fair), which opens today, will see even more overseas and domestic exhibitors and larger exhibition space.

A total of 480 overseas companies from 57 countries and regions including 17 from the world's least developed countries are seeking business opportunities to penetrate further into the Chinese market during the first phase of the fair, which is to last through October 20, said Wang Junwen, deputy director and secretary-general of CIEF and director of China Foreign Trade Center, at a meeting yesterday.

Foreign exhibits include IT products, household appliances, daily necessities, hardware, building materials and machinery equipment, kitchen utensils, raw materials, gifts, food and agricultural products, with raw materials being here for the first time. And their exhibition space rises 50 per cent from the 101st CIEF to cover 15,000 square meters.

 The opening reception of the 102nd session of China Import and Export Fair

He said that about 6,000 buyers from the Chinese mainland are expected to attend the fair.

Wang said that the 14 seminars on the competitive products of the overseas countries and regions will enable overseas exhibitors to get better access to the Chinese market via CIEF.

According to Wang, a total of 7,796 domestic firms are showing off their products in the first phase of the fair and another 6,778 will take the floor in the second phase scheduled from October 25 to 30.

The first phase of the fair highlights China-made industrial commodities at the Pazhou Complex and textiles, garments as well as medical and healthcare products at the Liuhua Complex; and the second phase will highlight China-made daily consumables at the Pazhou Complex and gift-related products at the Liuhua Complex.

He said the organizing committee has spared no efforts to invite businesspeople around the world and invitations have been sent to 309,200 business people globally.

The 102nd fair has 32,005 booths, 323 more than in the 101st session.

IPR protection

At a press conference yesterday, Xu Bing, deputy director of China Foreign Trade Center and CIEF spokesperson, said the organizing committee will take even tougher measures to protect the intellectual property right (IPR).

While urging all the exhibiting firms to bear the responsibility of IPR protection, Xu said, the organizing committee will bring into effect the punishment regulation of depriving IPR violators of the future qualification for exhibition opportunities permanently.

He said that those who have been ruled judicially or administratively offending IPR will be disqualified for future exhibition opportunity for good if they continue to put the pirated exhibits on show during the fair.

And those who have been deprived of the qualification for some sessions of the fair for IPR violations will be disqualified for good if their exhibits once again violate other's IPR.