Caribbean enterprise inks 46,000 USD deal at 4th CIIE

SHANGHAI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- First Caribbean Marketing Company, an enterprise from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, signed a business contract worth 46,000 U.S. dollars at the ongoing fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) on Monday.

It is the first company from the island country in the Caribbean to participate in the CIIE.

Special delicacies from Trinidad and Tobago including rum, chili sauce, seasoning, chocolate, confectionery and coconut oil have been put on display at the expo, said Huang Jinming, a representative of the Caribbean enterprise.

"Thanks to the efforts of the governments of China and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as our Chinese partners, we could jump on to the expo bandwagon in a very short time. The Chinese market is so huge and we believe that more and more enterprises from Trinidad and Tobago will come to China in the future," Huang said.

Adrian Thomas, from the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago in China, said that in 2018, the country participated in the expo as a national pavilion.

Thomas added that industries from Trinidad and Tobago have natural links with the Chinese market, and the participation of the enterprise from Trinidad and Tobago in this year's expo is the first step of the country into the Chinese market.

"This event is critical, not only for firms to enter and expand into the Chinese market, but also for government representatives, export promoters, innovators and business people to exchange ideas and experiences, negotiate deals and new opportunities, and discover new consumers and markets across the globe," said Paula Gopee-Scoon, minister of trade and industry of Trinidad and Tobago, who watched the contract signing via livestream.

The fourth CIIE, scheduled from Nov. 5 to 10 in Shanghai, has attracted nearly 3,000 companies from 127 countries and regions, including 33 least developed countries. The annual fair has become a significant platform for foreign companies to boost exports to the massive Chinese market.