Party chief urges Hainan fair to boost agricultural exchanges

While over 5,300 exhibitors from across the world gathered in Haikou for the China (Hainan) International Tropical Agricultural Products Winter Trade Fair, Liu Cigui, Party chief of Hainan, urged the event to offer greater convenience to exhibitors and become a key platform for fresh produce exhibition and trade, as well as international agricultural exchanges. 

The five-day winter trade fair kicked off on Dec 12, displaying more than 20,000 types of agricultural products at indoor and outdoor exhibition areas spanning a total of 80,000 square meters. 

On Dec 15, Liu paid a visit to the exhibition halls set for showcasing products from the countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, Hainan's cities and counties, as well as State farms, conducting in-depth communications with exhibitors and visitors.

The Party chief called on the organizers to offer better services and aid Hainan's rural rejuvenation, as well as build an important platform for the Hainan Pilot Free Trade Port to display and trade winter agricultural products and boost agricultural cooperation.

Liu Cigui (C), Party chief of Hainan province, pays a visit to the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center on Dec 15. [Photo by Li Yingting/Hainan Daily]

At the exhibition zone for BRI countries, Liu talked with exhibitors from countries including Mongolia, Armenia, Laos, and Thailand.

The South China province will make full use of the role of the winter trade fair to draw the participation of more overseas companies, as well as promote economic and trade cooperation between Hainan and the countries and regions along the Belt and Road, noted Liu.

During the first four days of the exhibition, more than 500,000 visitors were recorded and deals worth nearly 60 billion yuan ($8.6 billion) were reached.

In addition, special exhibition halls to enhance agricultural industry poverty alleviation efforts were also set up at this year's fair, with the sales from the poverty-stricken areas hitting 2.16 billion yuan by Dec 15. Moreover, exhibition areas and the number of agricultural products on display from Hainan cities and the counties of Wuzhishan, Baisha, Lingao, Qiongzhong, and Baoting both reached a record high.