Pivoting West

Businesses from Central Asia and Europe flock to Urumqi for the China-Eurasia Expo

Even at nine o'clock in the evening, darkness cannot fully blanket Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a geographical feature that allows the China-Eurasia Expo—which is partially held outdoors—to last longer than it would were it held in a more eastern part of the country.

Li Feilong, owner of a local building material company, was not complaining. He had more time to woo potential business partners.

"I began to attend China-Eurasia Expo when it was called Urumqi fair. Now, it has become increasingly difficult to even get a booth at the expo," said Li, referring to the fact that less than 50 percent of applicants were awarded a space at the Expo, according to statistics from the organizing committee.

The Urumqi-based building material manufacturer exported 50 percent of its products to the five central Asian nations—Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Its products can be found in more than 70 percent of the bus rapid transit system in Urumqi.

"Following each China-Eurasia Expo, my company always receives many inquiries from real estate companies and even militaries. The expo has become an important opportunity to expose what you have to offer," said Li.

The Central Government drafted plans in 2010 to rapidly develop its most western frontier in a number of areas. In September 2011, the first China-Eurasia Expo, upgraded from the 19-year-old China Urumqi Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Fair, was held.

"Given that Xinjiang is in the interior of the Eurasian continent, it has been the most dynamic in economic development," said Zhang Lei, Deputy Director of the Central Asia Regional Economy Institute under the Xinjiang University of Finance and Economics. Xinjiang, once so prominent along the Silk Road 2,000 years ago, is trying to reposition itself as the epicenter of trade between China, Central Asia and Europe.The expo strives to become a platform for cooperation for the Eurasian region by using Xinjiang's geographical advantage.

A total of 1,565 enterprises, including 1,432 domestic companies and 133 from overseas, participated in the expo and 165 key investment agreements were signed, amounting to 213.22 billion yuan ($34.84 billion), up 3.08 percent from the previous year.

At the opening ceremony of the expo, China's Vice President Li Yuanchao predicted that in the next five years, China would import commodities worth $8 trillion from and make direct investments of $450 billion in Asia and Europe.

"The world economy is undergoing profound changes. The trends of economic globalization and regional integration are gaining momentum," said Li Yuanchao.

Matlubkhon Davlatov, Tajikistan's First Deputy Prime Minister, said the expo is an important platform for economic cooperation and trade between Xinjiang and Central Asia. Here, they can exchange views, promote investment and give play to economic and trade potential, he said.

Busy venue

Products like jewelry, deep-sea fish oil, cranes and trucks were on display in the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. Upon entering the center, Sany Heavy Industry easily nabbed the attention of visitors with its impressive array of machinery. Opening up shop in Urumqi in 2011, Sany laid a focus on northwest China and the Central Asian markets. This year, it rented a 2,600-square-meter outdoor exhibition zone, with 15 iron giants on display.

China's solar power giant Yingli Green Energy is another company looking west of Xinjiang for growth markets. Haunted by the photovoltaic dispute with the EU, Yingli Green Energy still shows great enthusiasm in expanding overseas. "While exports to EU countries keep falling, Yingli has now turned its attention to countries that have yet to join the euro zone, such as Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus," said Liu Ying, Accounting Manager of Yingli's Overseas Sales Department, at the expo.

In the exhibition hall for overseas products, Qamar Zia, a white-haired Pakistani man, was busy handing out instructions to his employees. As the owner of a hand-made carpet company, it was his fourth trip to China and first to Urumqi, where he believed the market potential is huge.

"All of my carpets are hand-made from wool. In Urumqi, temperature can be as low as minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius in winter. Therefore, residents here may be willing to keep warm by laying a carpet on the floor," said Qamar. He expects purchasers who showed interest in his goods to contact him after the expo.

Food from Xinjiang, home to an environment with favorable agricultural conditions, was also touted at the expo. Xinjiang Aroma Manor Wine Co. Ltd. was one of the enterprises proudly displaying its offerings. "In the past, our company just grew grapes. Since 2011, we have begun to produce wine. Thanks to our independent planting base in south Xinjiang, Chateau Aroma has gain recognition as being pollution-free and organic," said Yang Weibin, its sales manager. "As a high-end brand in this field, most of our products are shipped to Hong Kong. At the same time, Central Asia has also been included in our long-term plans as a potential market."

Culture too

Young girls in glittering Xinjiang-made cheongsams undulated on a stage as handicraftsmen lined its sides with their works. A miniature Qifang Street—a well-known hub for artists in Urumqi that was once home to a deserted dormitory building—was created. On display were colorful dough figurines, exquisite pottery and even mulberry paintings—the so-called "living fossil of the paper industry."

"All of the artworks here are hand-made and blend Xinjiang features with traditional Han culture," said Wang Ge, a paper-cutting artist for over 50 years. Wang runs a studio on Qifang Street, often compared to Beijing's 798 art district. She is a fourth-generation inheritor of her family's unique skills in paper cutting. Her abilities have been deemed as intangible cultural heritage by Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Government.

"I integrate Xinjiang elements into my artworks and hope more people can come to know the region's special culture through the exhibition," said Wang, wearing a large Atala shawl.

The expo is not merely a platform for economic cooperation, but also a bridge for cultural exchange, said Zhang Chunxian, Secretary of the Communist Party of China Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee.

For the first time, more than 70 paintings from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan were displayed at the expo, while a few first-class artists were invited to paint on the spot.

"The painting will add diversified elements to the expo," said Chen Ji, Deputy Director General of the Xinjiang International Expo Administration, "and enrich the spiritual life of people of all ethnic groups."

http://europe.chinadaily.com.cn/business/2013-09/09/content_16955224.htm