Shanghai CIIE salon spotlights China market potential

Jelena Grubor Stefanovic, director of the Representative Office of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce in China, underscored the importance of the CIIE in building networks and fostering relationships.

"It has been really the key platform that helped me build the network here," Stefanovic said. "It's really about building relations with the potential partners in terms of distributors for Serbian products and such with the governments, with the regions."

She also highlighted Shanghai's appeal as an entry point for businesses. "It really provides a soft landing to companies here. It's very international, so the transition phase is very easy if you're coming first time to China or to Asia in general."

Mark Kirk, general manager of the Grand Kempinski Hotel Shanghai, acknowledged CIIE's significance for the hospitality industry.

"CIIE is probably the most important event that happens in Shanghai for the hospitality industry," Kirk said, emphasizing the opportunity to showcase the hotel's services and quality to a diverse international clientele.

Dragana Kostic, vice-president of BMW Asia Pacific Technology Center, emphasized the CIIE as a platform for showcasing new technologies and fostering international collaboration.

"BMW is not at the CIIE to sell cars. We are here to show what kind of new technologies we have and especially how we do that," Kostic said.

Kostic further noted Shanghai's appeal as a base for the BMW Asia Pacific Technology Center. "It will be based in Shanghai because it is easier for my overseas teams of different nationalities to collaborate and engage with one another here."