Sharjah: The 12th Chinese Commodities Fair Sharjah, the largest Chinese fair in the Middle East. opened on Monday and was inaugurated by Shaikh Abdullah Bin Salim Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, at the Expo Centre here.

The fair continues until December 18 (Wednesday).

“The UAE-China trade is on a strong footing, with bilateral trade registering a double-digit growth so far this year. I am sure that the economic reforms announced by China and the mega infrastructure projects being undertaken in the UAE and the rest of the region will further boost these trade exchanges,” said Saif Mohammad Al Midfa, Director-General of Expo Centre, Sharjah.

China has pledged to push sweeping economic and social reforms in the next decade to unleash fresh growth drivers for the world’s second-largest economy, including the gradual opening of Chinese markets which will give more opportunities to GCC investors to tap into Chinese growth. Experts believe that a gradual liberalisation of the currency will also be on the cards.

“For Chinese manufacturers and distributors, the CCFS is a significant platform to reach out to the high-growth markets in the region. The interest in CCFS is very strong this year, and the UAE’s winning bid for World Expo 2020 has come as the icing on the cake after the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar. These events are sure to generate good demand for cost-effective Chinese products, equipment and technology,” said Patrick Zheng Shuo, General Manager, China Machinery and Electronics Products Exhibition Centre (Chinamex).

“The 22 Arab countries as a whole is China’s largest oil import region. The bilateral trade volume between China and Arab countries in 2012 stood at $222.4 billion, with a year-on-year growth of 14 per cent. From January to June 2013, the bilateral trade volume between China and Arab countries has reached $115 billion, a 2.9 per cent growth than last year,” added Shuo.


Largest Chinese fair

While CCFS continues to be the largest such fair in the region for Chinese goods, for its 12th edition, the show will focus on green food, with the exhibit profile focusing on fresh fruits, vegetables & grains, dry fruits, beverages and frozen food.

More than 150 exhibitors are also showcasing fast food and puffed food processing equipment, traditional arts & paintings, building materials, irrigation & water saving technologies, wood craft, textiles, glassware, metal products, cast iron & cast copper crafts, electronics, IT products, garments, footwear, hardware, chemicals, machine parts, etc.

The exhibition will be held until December 18 at the Expo Centre Sharjah and the timings are from 10am to 6pm daily.