The city of Zibo in East China's Shandong province is seeking more foreign trade with Japan, to help boost its economy.
In line with that ambition, the 25th Shandong Province Export Goods Exhibition and Cultural Trade Exhibition was held on March 8-10 in Osaka, Japan – regarded as being an important platform for Shandong to hunt for opportunities and explore markets in Japan.
Showings its wares at the expo was Zibo Yingyang Textile Co Ltd, one of 12 of Zibo's foreign trade manufacturers that were present.
A substantial part of the company's output is sent overseas, with products being shipped to Japan currently accounting for 60 percent of total exports annually.
The stand for Zibo Yingyang Textile Co Ltd at the Japan exhibition. [Photo/app.zbnews.net]
Although it was the fourth time the company attended the annual exhibition, general manager Yang Wen said the results went beyond expectations.
"A large number of merchants visited the exhibition and we all had a strong desire to write new business and we cherished the opportunity," Yang said.
He added that going global opened up more opportunities and a broader market. This was also one of the motivating forces in Zibo's commerce department, which wanted to expand foreign trade.
In 2022, Zibo's foreign trade with Japan came in at 4.3 billion yuan ($623.7 million), a year-on-year increase of 2.2 percent, accounting for 3.5 percent of the total value of the city's imports and exports.
Japan is the fifth-biggest market for exports of textiles and clothing products for Zibo. Last year, 138 companies in the city imported and exported textiles and apparel to Japan, with exports worth 770 million yuan.
It is expected that with China's visa offices abroad resuming the issue of all types of visas to foreigners from March 15, more opportunities for cross-border trade will be created.
