Turkey Consul General views CIIE as launchpad into Chinese market

Huseyin Emre Engin, Consul General of Turkey in Shanghai, said that the 4th China International Import Expo is a key platform for Turkish companies to enter the Chinese market.

"Despite the shadow cast by COVID-19, trade and investment have both seen a steady growth between the two countries," said Engin, ahead of the CIIE which opened on Thursday.

He said that as making inroads into the Chinese market is often not easy for foreign companies, the CIIE can serve as a critical instrument to help such companies understand the needs of Chinese consumers.

"The CIIE is a very good platform for foreign investors to interact with the Chinese market, to know more about China and to engage with the Chinese companies," he said.

He also expressed his appreciation for the determination of the Chinese government to push forward with the CIIE despite the pandemic. 

Engin noted that even though only 13 companies from Turkey will be present at the expo due to the ongoing pandemic, a Turkish national pavilion will be available online to  showcase products of companies from his country. 

"We've been selling quality Turkish food to Europe, the Middle East and Russia for decades. We want to present these Turkish brands to the Chinese consumers," he said.

Earlier this year, Turkey and China signed a deal that saw more Turkish diary products enter China  

Engin also recalled his visit to China 10 years ago, and said the living standards of the Chinese today bears a sharp contrast with the past. "Today, China has 400 million people in the middle-income group. They are consuming and demanding more, especially quality goods. Therefore, Turkey aspires to cater to the needs of these people," he said.

"We're pushing our companies to come. Events like the CIIE and long-term engagement is one way to have good trade with China," he added.

Huang Xinyi and Fan Xuehan contributed to the story.