A grand event often serves as a significant opportunity for a city or region’s leapfrog development. From October 17 to 19, the Second International Procurement Conference for Linyi Mall, part of the “Belt and Road” initiative, was held. This conference was unprecedented in scale, attracting over 1,000 representatives from international business associations and buyers from 63 countries and regions to Linyi for the “Great Chinese Fair,” with 49 of these countries being part of the Belt and Road initiative. As soon as the buyers arrived, they quickly “occupied” various venues, navigating through a dazzling array of products in search of more diverse, innovative, distinctive, and cost-effective options to seize the best business opportunities. Linyi’s prominence has captured global attention.
What contributes to Linyi’s strong appeal in foreign trade? We can start with the 13 specialized procurement sessions at this conference. These sessions covered a wide range of product categories—from hardware and ceramics to daily necessities, clothing and accessories to construction machinery, and from decorative panels to automotive parts. The immersive procurement experience provided both domestic and international partners with a rich sense of engagement. At the procurement conference, one could directly feel the vibrant sparks generated by the multi-national trade and cultural exchanges, showcasing an “international flair” at the “Great Chinese Fair.”
If in the past Linyi Mall was primarily seen as a hub for domestic trade, this perception must change based on the success of this conference. In recent years, Linyi has been accelerating its internationalization efforts, actively organizing “foreign businesses entering the mall” activities. Since the beginning of this year, 30 international procurement events have been held. Linyi particularly encourages enterprises to establish overseas malls (warehouses) in Belt and Road countries and RCEP member states, with over 30 such locations built to date. Transitioning from “buying nationwide and selling nationwide” to “buying globally and selling globally,” Linyi is becoming an important node and hub city in the Belt and Road initiative. Data shows that from January to August this year, the city exported 68.48 billion yuan to Belt and Road countries, accounting for 67.8% of total exports.
It is noteworthy that buyers will also engage in discussions with over 3,000 local Linyi manufacturing enterprises and market merchants. This presents a new opportunity and challenge for local product companies to adjust their industrial structures, promote the transformation of old and new driving forces, and enhance their ability to attract foreign investment.
Riding the momentum from this procurement conference, Linyi should broaden its doors to openness and widen its paths for development. Using trade as a medium, through mutual exchanges and learning between China and foreign countries, and by walking on both legs of “bringing in” and “going out,” Linyi can continuously explore deeper cooperation, newer tracks, and broader opportunities.
The future of open development holds great promise for Linyi!