Harnessing Momentum for Shared Success: WCIFIT Empowers Chinese Companies in Global Expansion

"On the first day of the exhibition alone, we received dozens of automotive and motorcycle parts companies seeking business cooperation. The enthusiasm of western Chinese enterprises engaging in cross-border e-commerce is truly impressive," said He Guobo, Senior Director of Business Development at eBay China, who found himself busier than ever at the 6th Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (WCIFIT).

Held in Chongqing, this year's WCIFIT specifically established the 3rd China (Chongqing) Cross-Border E-Commerce Trade Fair, showcasing six characteristic industrial clusters from western China - including complete vehicles & auto parts, general machinery, and hardware tools - while connecting global professional buyers from Russia, Uzbekistan, Malaysia and other countries to collectively "polish the international reputation" of western China's brands going global.

As a new foreign trade model with tremendous potential, rapid development, and strong spillover effects, cross-border e-commerce has become a key focus for western provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and cities like Sichuan and Chongqing in recent years. In 2023, Sichuan's cross-border e-commerce import-export volume reached RMB104.95 billion, surpassing the "100-billion-yuan" threshold for the first time, while Chongqing recorded a 41.3% year-on-year growth in cross-border e-commerce trade during Q1 2024.

When discussing the evolution of cross-border e-commerce, three shared "keywords" emerged among exhibitors: faster delivery, broader product categories, and expanded market reach.

Ye Hanmei, Sales Director of Shenzhen Baosen Suntop Logistics Co., Ltd., revealed that since 2020, the company has established three overseas warehouses in the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK, significantly improving delivery efficiency and user experience. "We've clearly observed that photovoltaic products and other 'new trio' export items are becoming rising stars in cross-border e-commerce," she noted.

He Guobo explained that in the past, cross-border e-commerce product selection primarily focused on electronics and apparel categories, mainly selling lightweight items under 2 kilograms. With increasingly comprehensive overseas warehouse networks, heavy goods weighing several hundred kilograms can now be swiftly delivered abroad, accelerating the momentum of cross-border e-commerce. According to platform monitoring data, an average of 120 automotive decorations, 30 tires and accessories, and 30 sets of braking system products are sold every minute on eBay.

Simultaneously, multiple international trade corridors converging in western China provide robust support for cross-border e-commerce globalization. "Using the China-Europe Railway Express, shipping goods from Chongqing to Duisburg, Germany takes approximately one month less than traditional sea freight," said a staff member from Chongqing GOLDSHINE Logistics Co., Ltd.

This year's Cross-Border E-Commerce Trade Fair has brought together domestic and international e-commerce platforms and comprehensive service providers, while establishing specialized zones such as the "International Buyers Zone" and "Trade Matchmaking Area" to connect cutting-edge industries with global markets, empowering local enterprises to accelerate their overseas expansion.

At the booth of Chongqing AMM Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., three large-scale rotary tillers were quite eye-catching. "Our agricultural machinery has gained strong recognition from clients in major farming nations like Turkey and India," said Yin Shengman, the company's sales representative. Since expanding into cross-border e-commerce two years ago, overseas revenue has exceeded 20% of total sales. The company's participation aims to further promote products and develop high-quality international clientele.

For local enterprises venturing overseas, there remains a great demand for interdisciplinary talents who are not only proficient in foreign languages but also possess expertise in foreign trade. Zhao Ti, the dean of the Cross-border Business College of Chongqing College of International Business and Economics, also came to the Cross-border E-commerce Fair to help foreign trade enterprises solve the pain points of talent demand. She told reporters that in recent years, the school has been making great efforts to cultivate talents for the cross-border digital economy industry-education integration. It has consecutively run four sessions of cross-border digital economy industry-education talent classes, and most of the students have found employment in foreign trade enterprises in places like Chongqing and Shanghai.

It is reported that at this Cross-border E-commerce Fair, the Chongqing Cross-border E-commerce Association was officially established. The cross-border e-commerce associations of Chongqing, Yunnan Province, Chengdu, and Haikou, as well as the signing representatives of Shopee Pte. Ltd. and China-Singapore Data Port (Chongqing) Technology Co., Ltd. jointly signed a cooperation agreement.

Zhang Yongwu, Director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce and Director of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Administration, said that in the next step, Chongqing will continue to expand high-standard opening up, explore and deepen reforms around the industrial development needs such as green channel clearance, cross-border financial services, and cross-border data exchange that cross-border e-commerce enterprises are concerned about, and release more policy dividends through innovative and institutional opening up.

"As China's automobile exports continue to grow, foreign demand for auto parts is gradually increasing, bringing new opportunities for auto parts enterprises," said Wang Shanshan, foreign trade manager of Chongqing Naigu Automobile Products E-Commerce Co, Ltd. She added that the Chongqing Auto Parts Industry Association, which her company has joined, has more than 2,200 auto parts enterprises, and these enterprises are successively taking advantage of the "east wind" of cross-border e-commerce to enter broader overseas markets.

Source: Xinhua News Agency