SCO Commodity Fair: Unique goods from SCO countries on display in Qingdao

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China hosted the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit last weekend. And part of the series of events that's happening in line is the SCO Import Commodity Fair. The event aims to be a platform which allows member states to trade and set up new channels for businesses. Liu Xinqing reports from Qingdao.

It's the first trading event under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The SCO summit concluded in Qingdao on June 10th, bringing together 57 companies from 17 nations. All of them come with products unique to their countries, trying to tap into the potential of the huge market in China.

MIKHAIL SIDORSKIY HEAD OF CHINA BRANCH, SOYUZ 86 "We have brought with us a lot of delicious Russian food. It's a pity that our booth is not very big, as we have much more that we want to bring to the Chinese consumers. Russian food is very popular here and it's all sold out already."

SUMIT KUMAR CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, EARTHVEDIC "It's a very nice platform, I would recommend it to people who don't know about it. I will certainly tell people that this is going to help us. This is a great platform for us where we can come and show our products."

China has been keeping close trade relations with all neighboring countries under the framework of SCO. The trade volume between China and other SCO members reached 217.6 billion US dollars in 2017, a 19% increase from a year before.

LIU XINQING QINGDAO, SHANDONG "This import commodity fair is not very big in size. Yet it provides a new channel for Chinese consumers to get direct access to products from other SCO member countries. The big draw - the products on display are items people use everyday."

This import commodity fair is another effort by the host city Qingdao to expand trade relations with other SCO members, giving local consumers a rare opportunity to buy imported goods close to home.

TIAN YU QINGDAO RESIDENT "I heard about this fair and came to take a look. I can see various kinds of commodities on display from all SCO member countries, it provides a platform for Qingdao residents to know about the products and custom of other countries."

GUO MEILIN QINGDAO RESIDENT "All SCO member countries have products on display here, allowing us to experience the cultures of different countries. Each of these countries have brought with them products of exotic charms, like the carpets from Iran and delicious food from Russia."

Experts say the four day event won't be long enough for exhibitors to present all of their products, but they add that it allows them to feel the potential of the market under the framework of SCO.

SUMIT KUMAR CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, EARTHVEDIC "If you ask a person or a brand, whether they want to enter a market like India and China, I think without hesitation, the first answer would be 'Let's do it'."

All exhibitors at the fair expressed their willingness to get more involved in the SCO market. After all, the member countries of the SCO cover a population of 3 billion people, a market that no one wants to miss. Liu Xinqing, CGTN, Qingdao, Shandong province.