"Toy capital" moves to attract global orders

Toys are displayed at a toy company in Chenghai District of Shantou City, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

GUANGZHOU, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- During the just-concluded 49th Hong Kong Toys and Games Fair, the largest of its kind in Asia, the booths of toy enterprises from the southern Chinese city of Shantou attracted huge attention from global buyers.

From traditional toys to high-tech innovative video game products, the products of Shantou exhibitors cover almost all toy categories.

Dubbed China's "toy capital," the Chenghai District of Shantou is home to over 10,000 toy companies, with roughly 130,000 workers engaged in these businesses, creating an annual output value of toy-related products of over 50 billion yuan (about 7.4 billion U.S. dollars).

To expand business opportunities and attract global orders, Shantou sent a delegation, composed of nearly 1,000 representatives from over 300 toy foreign trade enterprises, to participate in the fair, which was held between Monday and Thursday in Hong Kong.

Shantou Jinchengfeng Exhibition Limited mainly brought intelligent educational toys to the fair this year. "With the help of the fair, I hope to increase product exposure, obtain more customer information, and promote the signing of orders," said Li Jianyuan, general manager of the toys trading company.

"This time, we brought more than 600 products to the toy fair. Before the exhibition, we sent invitations to our consumers in Mexico, the Netherlands, and other places," said Lu Mingbin, general manager of Shantou Ever Prosperous Trading Co., Ltd. "I hope to expand the company's overseas sales channels through this face-to-face opportunity."

Rastar Interactive Entertainment Co., Ltd. has participated in the toys and games fair over 20 times. It launched a series of new products, such as building blocks of authorized car models, at this year's exhibition.

Toys are displayed at a toy company in Chenghai District of Shantou City, south China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Deng Hua)

"Currently, the company has the authorization of more than 35 world-renowned auto companies. We hope to explore more potential customers and expand the American and Asian markets at this fair," said Lin Meier, deputy director of the company's international business department.

Guangdong Sembo Cultural Industrial Co., Ltd. mainly produces building block toys. It also launched new products, such as theme building blocks and mechanical car series, at the fair for European and American markets.

"The company has a research and development team of more than 160 people and has been working on innovation. We hope Chinese brands can go global," said Yu Peifen, sales director of the company. "Next, the company will launch diversified design schemes according to different groups and cultures in different countries."

Sembo is estimated to obtain orders worth about 35 million yuan at the fair, according to the company.

According to the Shantou municipal bureau of commerce, more than 90 percent of Shantou exhibitors have received orders with a total intended transaction volume of 6 billion yuan, of which 30 percent are from new customers.

Shantou is preparing for the 22nd China Chenghai International Toys and Gifts Expo, scheduled to be held in April this year. It is estimated that the total exhibition area will exceed 150,000 square meters, and the number of toys and related products displayed in the main venue will exceed 160,000, it added.