Zhejiang’s delegations of enterprises win both new orders and new friends

Business delegations sent abroad by east China’s Zhejiang Province have recently returned to Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport after a highly successful trip abroad.

Between Dec. 4 and 11, Chen Zhicheng, deputy director of the Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, led the first delegation of the province’s enterprise leaders on a trip to Germany and France to explore new markets and gain new clients.

Businessmen from east China’s Zhejiang Province discuss business with their clients overseas. (People’s Daily Online/courtesy of the interviewee)

The trip saw the delegation visit the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce and the France China Committee, among other institutions. It also organized enterprises’ participation in exhibitions including the Food ingredients Europe and Health ingredients (Fi & Hi Europe).

31 enterprises from Zhejiang attended the Fi & Hi Europe and made deals of $152 million of which the actual turnover exceeded $32 million, said Chen.

He also said that through the trip to Europe, companies received orders and the effect of the delegations’ travels far exceeded expectations.

At the Fi & Hi Europe, Min En’guang, an assistant sales director of the Brilsta, a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research and development and sales of raw food materials, received orders worth tens of millions of yuan.

A businessman from east China’s Zhejiang Province discusses business with clients overseas. (People’s Daily Online/courtesy of the interviewee)

“Our participation in the Fi & Hi Europe gave a lot of confidence to our clients,” said Wang Zhengwei, Brilsta’s vice president.

“Expanding our circle of friends is another great result of our trip to Europe,” said Chen. The first delegation visited the largest German business organization in Europe, providing an important mechanism for Zhejiang to expand economic and trade cooperation with German enterprises.

“Our clients and the market have changed, and we need to keep up,” said Yang Yang, deputy general manager of the marketing department of Zhejiang Jinhua Haijie Import and Export Co., Ltd. He made these comments in the capital of Qatar, adding that the company aims to regain orders and seize new opportunities.

“Market demand and industry trends have changed, and many styles that were popular in the past are now obsolete,” said Ding Yandong, general manager of Rollmax Shutter Component Co., Ltd. of Ningbo city, Zhejiang.

A businessman from east China’s Zhejiang Province and his overseas client pose for a photo. (People’s Daily Online/courtesy of the interviewee)

Ding noted that he felt a sense of urgency because of the vigorous process of digitization and the wide application of new technologies in the industry, and had subsequently strengthened his determination to promote the transformation of his company.

According to Chen, Zhejiang is expected to organize over 1,000 business delegations and 10,000 enterprises to expand their overseas markets.