Written by Lei Yiling and Li Yizhi / Translated by Mo Tingting

A s one of the main exhibitions of CAEXPO, the 2018 China-ASEAN EXPO Forest & Wood Products Exhibition (CFWPE) and a series of activities held at the same time have not only conformed to the trend of the era of opening up and cooperation, and strongly promoted the forestry industry exchanges and cooperation between different countries, but also provided glamour for the forestry industry cooperation between China and ASEAN.

The nine-year-old CFWPE playing a role in opening up

Under the framework of the 2018 CAEXPO, themed with“Green, Innovation and Cooperation”, the four-day CFWPE was held in Nanning International Convention and Exhibition Center for its ninth year, offering an effective platform for China and ASEAN to participate in the forest industry cooperation.

Zhang Hongwen, Chief Economist of State Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, said at the opening ceremony that CFWPE as a key national forestry exhibition between China and ASEAN is the most important platform for forestry industry, and has made contributed to the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative, “Rural Revitalization” of China, andNanning Initiativeapproved on the 1stChina-ASEAN Forestry Cooperation Forum,promoted China-ASEAN forestry cooperation, and optimized international production capacity cooperation.

Chen Qingnan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam, has also reviewed the achievements made by China and Vietnam in such fields as forest industry cooperation, fully aff i rmed the role of CFWPE, and expressed great confidence in the future of bilateral cooperation.

As a major professional exhibition of the CAEXPO, CFWPE has been successfully held for 9 sessions since 2010, and has become an important platform for China-ASEAN forestry cooperation, which has been recognized by merchants.There are exhibitors such as Hebei Dahuayu Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., and Shandong Xuanjin Machinery Co., Ltd..Also, there are eight exhibition area, covering the whole industry chain of forestry, with an area of 20,000 square meters.

“I’ve participated in the CFWPE for two years in a row,” Li Tong, Deputy General Manager of Guangxi Spring Wood Industry, told reporters that the factory he managed are seeking transformation towards intelligent and automation as labor costs continue to increase.“So I am very concerned about the most cutting-edge wood processing technology between China and ASEAN at the CFWPE.Hopefully, the future of CFWPE will provide us with more opportunities like this,” he said.

CFWPE sharing huge market with foreign merchants

In recent years, China-ASEAN economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly.The CFWPE held during the 15thCAEXPO will promote cooperation in the forestry industry and meet the needs of cooperation between enterprises of the two sides.

Vietnam has participated in CFWPE for eight years in a row.In 2018, Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development participated the CFWPE as a supporter for the first time.Faced with such opportunity to expand business in China, Ms.Duan from Lang Son Agro-Forestry Processing and Export Company Limited was very excited.

In the exhibition area, there are many businessmen from Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and other ASEAN countries,looking for opportunities to enter Chinese market.

According to organizers, ASEAN Investment Meeting(Agricultural and Forestry of Vietnam), the 8thChina(Nanning) Forest Products International Trade Forum, the 9thChina-ASEAN Wood Culture Activities 2018 and several investment and trade promotion activities were held during this period.

Among which, ASEAN Investment Meeting (Agricultural and Forestry of Vietnam) is one of the important activities of the CAEXPO, setting up a “face-to-face” platform for nearly 100 enterprises, associations and other institutions of China and Vietnam.In addition, ASEAN Investment Meeting(Agricultural and Forestry of Vietnam) has given full play to the complementarity of high-quality agricultural resources between Guangxi and Vietnam, encouraged more Chinese enterprises with strength and intention to invest in ASEAN countries, and further deepened practical agricultural cooperation between the two sides.