Canadian companies said the China International Import Expo gave them new business leads, potential Chinese partners and a closer look at opportunities in one of the world's biggest consumer markets as the annual trade event wrapped up in Shanghai.
The shift was particularly evident among small and medium-sized Canadian businesses, which said Chinese demand and the country's growing digital economy could open new opportunities for long-term cooperation.
"This year's CIIE made me feel the openness and vitality of the Chinese market," said Lei Shidi, a representative of a Canadian health-products company.
"Chinese buyers are paying more attention to product quality, technological innovation and long-term cooperation," she told China Daily.
"The biggest gain was not only displaying Canadian products, but also building trust, expanding business opportunities and looking for long-term partners," she said.
About 16 Canadian companies from sectors including food, agricultural products, health products and innovative technologies participated in the expo, according to Zheng Xiaoling, president of the Canada International Trade Promotion Society, who has organized Canadian companies' participation for nine years.
Zheng told China Daily that the purpose of Canadian companies' participation had gradually shifted "from simply displaying products to finding partners and expanding the Chinese market".
Canadian exhibitors held discussions with Chinese buyers, importers and distributors, as well as online platforms and supply-chain and brand-management companies. The talks covered bulk purchasing, brand introduction, cross-border distribution, livestreaming e-commerce and market entry.
Zhang Zhixun, co-secretary-general of the society, said one of the most notable changes this year was the growing integration of online and offline channels.
"The biggest feeling is that the Chinese market is huge and resilient, while the power of online sales and cross-border e-commerce is becoming increasingly prominent," Zhang said.
"In the past, many overseas brands relied on offline channels to slowly cultivate the market. Now, with livestreaming, e-commerce platforms and new-media communication, exhibits can quickly reach a huge number of domestic consumers and truly become 'exhibits into products,'" he said.
Many Canadian companies were already looking to develop domestic online channels, Zhang said, adding that the expo was becoming more than a several-day exhibition and instead a platform linking online and offline business throughout the year.
Health and wellness products were among the areas attracting interest from Chinese buyers.
Lei said her company had found "a lot of interest" in Canadian high-quality health products and was looking to establish direct purchasing cooperation with major Chinese platforms through cross-border e-commerce.
Canadian companies were also closely watching China's growing demand in areas including agriculture and food, life sciences, clean energy, artificial intelligence and elderly care.
Zhang said Canadian exhibitors were particularly interested in the combination of China's silver economy, digital economy and AI applications.
"Many Canadian companies hope to combine the advantages of natural health products with China's digital platforms and AI technology, connect online and offline channels, and explore an integrated model of 'digital + AI + health and elderly care,'" he said.
For Canadian businesses seeking to diversify their export markets, participants said China represented an important opportunity.
"Especially for Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises, the CIIE is an important platform to open the Chinese market and reduce dependence on a single export market," Zheng said.
Zhang said many Canadian private enterprises hoped to "explore new market space, reduce their dependence on a single market, and reduce the impact of changes in the external environment".
He described China as "a very important direction" for Canadian companies seeking export-market diversification, citing the country's "huge and resilient consumer market".
The business opportunities at the expo also came as China-Canada economic ties showed signs of improvement.
Zhang said the Canadian Chinese community was "sincerely pleased to see the positive changes in bilateral relations".
"The vitality of the market and the power of people-to-people economic and trade exchanges are continuing to play a role in pushing both sides toward each other," he said.
Zheng said she was confident about the future of bilateral economic and trade cooperation, citing the complementarity between China's market and Canada's resources, products and technology.
"The CIIE is not only a window for displaying products, but also a bridge connecting enterprises, markets and the future," Zheng said. "We are willing to continue playing the role of a bridge and contribute to promoting China-Canada economic and trade cooperation."
