Cantonese Fair seen as bridge between Albania, China

TIRANA, March 7 – The upcoming trade fair in southern China will serve as a bridge of communication between Chinese and Albanian businesses, an Albanian business leader said Tuesday, Xinhua reports.
Nikolin Jaka, chairman of the Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the Canton Fair to be held in mid-April this year will provide a good opportunity for Albania to further enhance its economic cooperation with China.
Jaka made the remarks when meeting organizers of the fair, who visited Albania to invite industrial and commercial sector to take part in the fair.
The organizers introduced the fair and its potential to Albanian businesses that have been increasing their imports from China.
Given the success of China’s economy on a global scale, “imports from China account for a good size of our market despite the geographical distance of our countries,” said Jaka.
He added that the latest economic developments have shifted the focus of Albanian businessmen to China and many of them are interested in learning from China’s economic development mode.
The Canton Fair, or the Chinese Fair of Imports and Exports, is China’s largest trade fair. It is held biannually in Guangzhou and will see its 111th anniversary this year.
“The Canton Fair attracts buyers from all over the world, and it has become an ideal trade platform for them,” said Wang Runsheng, an organizer of the fair.
More than 105 Albanian entrepreneurs signed contracts worth $ 418 million with Chinese companies during the China Import and Export Canton Fair last year, contributing to the growth of trade exchanges between Albania and China. “Trade exchanges between Albania and China were estimated $ 440 million in 2011, with exports growing by 41.3% and imports 5.5%,” Vang Rungshing, Director of the Import and Export Canton Fair, said as quoted by local media. He expressed readiness to help Albanian companies in securing contracts with Chinese business and pointed to the interest of Chinese market in the Albanian food products.
Nikolin Jana, who attended a business forum with the Chinese Embassy, stressed the need for a greater promotion and presence of Chinese products and companies in trade fairs held in Albania. According to him, Albania has the opportunities to offer a free economic zone for Chinese business.
During recent years China has become one of Albania’s main trade partners, especially for Albanian exports. INSTAT data show China was the third main destination for Albanian exports in 2010, accounting for 5.5 percent of total exports. Trade volumes with China were valued at 28.7 billion lek in 2010 having experienced a 7 percent increase. Exports to China, represented mainly by mineral products reached 8.8 billion lek rising by 81 percent compared to 2009.