Delegation to trade fair expected to sign raft of deals

For 15 years, the American Chamber of Commerce in South China, known as AmCham South China, has led an annual delegation of business executives to the China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) held in Xiamen each September.

This year's delegation, which is expected to be larger than last year's, will be made up mostly of senior multinational executives who will meet governors and mayors from nearly a dozen provinces and cities over the three days of the fair.

The delegation has created history since its founding over a decade ago.

In 2006, AmCham South China accepted the CIFIT Great Contribution Award from former vice-premier Wu Yi, and in 2007 the delegation exceeded 100 individuals. In both 2008 and 2009 China Daily's International Investment Express devoted more pages to covering the delegation of AmCham South China than to any other organization or delegation attending the fair.

In 2010 one company from the delegation signed 18 deals in 72 hours; in 2011 the total value of deals signed by delegation members at CIFIT was estimated to have exceeded $2 billion. In 2012 the delegation was jointly led by then US Ambassador to China Gary Locke and included a group of senior federal government officials from Washington; and in 2013 it was estimated to have secured $2.2 billion in new deals at the event.

In 2014, the US exhibit was the largest pavilion at CIFIT.

In 2015, the signed deals exceeded $2.5 billion. AmCham South China expects to see more excitement and achievements from its delegation this year.

zhuanti@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 09/08/2016 page10)