121st Canton Fair: Over 1, 236 Billion FCFA Expected In Transactions

The trade fair holding in Guangzhou, China, is the most comprehensive international trading platform.

Some 200,000 buyers from 210 countries are expected at the 121^st Canton Fair or the China Import and Export Fair holding in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, from April 15-May 5, 2017. Inaugurated in 1957, the fair holds twice a year. Over 2 Billion US Dollars (about 1,236 Billion FCFA) worth of business transactions are expected to be made at the event.

The disclosure was made by Li Jinqi, Deputy Director General and Secretary General of the China Import and Export Fair while receiving 27 African journalists at the opening of the event on April 15, 2017. Jinqi described Canton Fair as “the most comprehensive trading platform in the world,” saying the gathering enhances the bond of friendship amongst different peoples. Some 13,764 registered African buyers participated in the 120^th session. Over 7,000 invitations were sent out to Africans for the current session. However, only 10 African exhibitors are taking part in the ongoing trade fair, most of them from Egypt. The others are from Zambia, Kenya and Uganda.

Engineer Tarek Samir Mohamed, Export Director of an Egyptian company, is exhibiting different makes and sizes of gas cookers produced in his country. “Business is good. I have participated in all sessions of the Canton Fair since it was inaugurated in 1957,” he told Cameroon Tribune with a confident smile.  Benjamin Pango, a Gabonese, is accredited as “buyer.” He has been in China for four years where he represents a Gabonese firm that deals in office equipment and supplies. Having studied...