The China Xiamen Machinery and Electronics Exhibition is an outstanding annual event in the economic exchanges between Xiamen and Taiwan. The exhibition this year features more than 2,000 booths covering an area of 60,000 square meters, and promises to surpass the scale last year when 27,815 participants from 39 countries congregated.
In conjunction with the exhibition, a host of programs are well-thought out to serve the needs of participants. These include seven forums and business matching sessions, one of which is the cross-Straits investment and trade meeting jointly organized by the Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei and the event organizer.
The Importers and Exporters Association of Taipei is a 5,000 member strong organization established 61 years ago in 1947 to develop trade opportunities globally. In recent years, our business exchanges with mainland China have intensified in such aspects as exhibitions, business matching and study missions. Since 2007, the IEAT has held a cross-Straits investment and trade meeting as part of this exhibition every year. In August that year, with the Taiwan Businessmen Association in Xiamen, we set up the Xiamen Liaison Office. Last year, our delegation attended for the first time the International China Fair for Investment and Trade to foster business exchanges between Xiamen and Taiwan. This year, the IEAT is holding its third cross-Straits investment and trade meeting with the focus on four major industries, namely, electronics, machinery, metals and hardware, and petrochemicals. We believe that such direct talks will provide participants with a better understanding of the market as well as greater availability of trade opportunities.
Currently, the domestic market in China looks set to be one of the best prospects of business prosperity. Xiamen certainly offers the easiest access for Taiwan businesses to tap the Chinese market. Exhibition and trade meetings are avenues for seeking out opportunities and furthering market development. I am sure this exhibition will create for all participants’ bountiful opportunities, and I wish the event every success.