China shifts supply-chain focus to ‘least-developed countries’ for November expo
Second edition of China International Supply Chain Expo will see more help given to institutions and companies from the African Union, as geopolitics weigh on trade
China is expanding the scale of its upcoming supply-chain expo by ramping up efforts to invite some of the “least-developed countries” while attempting to showcase resilience against trade barriers from the United States and other trade partners.
More than 600 companies are expected to participate in the five-day China International Supply Chain Expo that kicks off in Beijing on November 26. That would mark a 20 per cent increase in businesses from the inaugural expo last year, according to the host, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
While noting that almost half of the roughly 190 foreign participants will be US or European companies, the council emphasised that developing countries will get extra attention.
“We will focus on expanding participation from the least-developed countries while providing free exhibiting opportunities and support to African exhibitors to help developing countries promote their businesses,” Yu Yi, head of the CCPIT office, said on Monday at a press briefing for the event.
Institutions and companies from the African Union, including Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Rwanda, Morocco and Ghana, will be among the foreign participants, Yu said.
