Life of Guangzhou - Aussie SMEs to Make Their Mark

The 2009 China Small and Medium Enterprise Fair in Guangzhou
(Lifeofguangzhou.com/File photo)

More than 300 Australian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will attend the 2010 China Small and Medium Enterprise Fair in Guangzhou from Sept. 15 to 19, a luncheon in Shenzhen's Futian District was told Thursday.

China selected Australia to co-host the fair this year.

The enterprises organized by Austrade, the Australian Trade Commission, will feature food and beverage, wine, finance and business services, corporate training and education, clean technology and green building, creative and consumer goods.

"We are hoping Shenzhen enterprises attend the fair and seek opportunities to cooperate with Australian companies," said Jeff Turner, deputy consul general and senior trade commissioner at the Australian Consulate General in Guangzhou, at the luncheon.

Australian SMEs will exhibit their products and services at the Australian Pavilion, which would cover an area of 10,000sqm at the Guangzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center (the Pazhou complex for China Export Commodities Fair).

The pavilion has about 220 booths, representing the largest gathering of Australian companies overseas for a trade fair, said Turner.

"We originally planned to organize 100 enterprises, but more than 300 applied, indicating the interest Australian enterprises have in the Chinese market," Turner said.

Austrade will organize a Night of Australia for approximately 1,000 guests to open the Australian Pavilion and collaborate with L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival organizers to host Australia's so far largest fashion display in China, he said.

During the fair, the China-Australia Green Building and Eco-City Forum will be launched. The first of its kind in China, the fair will promote Australian green building and eco-city capabilities at national and regional levels to Chinese officials involved in urban planning and construction, environmental protection, water treatment and energy saving.

"The fair is about creating opportunities for Australia's grass-roots organizations - our SMEs - in China, Australia's most important trade partner," said Turner.

Austrade works with about 1,500 Australian companies doing business in China. Trade volume between Guangdong and Australia reached US$9.4 billion last year.

(by Han Ximin)

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