On June 28, Chongqing products drew strong interest from visitors at the Chongqing Pavilion of the 9th China–Eurasia Expo. (Photo/Huxin Luo)
Xinjiang - The 9th China–Eurasia Expo runs from June 25 to 29 in Xinjiang, attracting participants from 49 countries, regions, and international organizations, including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
As a gateway for opening up in western China, Chongqing set up a pavilion at the expo and held a business matchmaking event. At the expo, Chongqing’s agricultural machinery, specialty foods, and other products sought to expand overseas markets.
The matchmaking event provided targeted business opportunities for companies from Eurasian markets, Chongqing, and Xinjiang. The event set up dedicated negotiation areas for logistics channels, agricultural product trade, equipment manufacturing, and general trade, helping connect supply and demand.
Farm equipment maker courts Eurasian buyers
At the event, Lily Chen, Vice General Manager of Chongqing Hwasdan Machinery Manufacturing, distributed product catalogs to participating companies and promoted the company’s small and medium-sized agricultural machinery and outdoor equipment.
Chen said the firm joined the expo and the matchmaking event to connect with more distributors and partners across Eurasian countries and lay a stronger foundation for market expansion.
Hwasdan has already built a customer base in the five Central Asian countries and in European markets. Chen said Central Asia has strong potential for Chongqing agricultural machinery companies. Agriculture is a key industry in the five Central Asian countries, and local growers have a strong demand for farming equipment.
According to a PwC report, the share of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in GDP in all five Central Asian countries is higher than the average for Europe and the whole of Central Asia, and generally above the global average. In Tajikistan, the sector accounts for 22.9% of GDP and 42.7% of employment.
To meet this demand, Hwasdan has been adapting its products to local natural conditions and user habits to help farmers improve efficiency.
Spicy dried tofu becomes an expo favorite
At the Chongqing Pavilion, 22 Chongqing enterprises showcased innovations in new energy vehicles, specialty foods, intangible cultural heritage products, and creative cultural products. Among them, a dried tofu booth attracted many visitors with its spicy flavor, and some placed orders after tasting the products.
Zeng Guihua, General Manager of Chongqing Zengtianwei Catering Management Technology, said he brought dried tofu products to the expo in the hope of opening up new opportunities in Xinjiang and broader overseas markets.
“At the expo, a distributor from Nepal tried our dried tofu and expressed initial interest in cooperation,” Zeng said. She said the distributor believed Chongqing dried tofu has market potential in Nepal because local food preferences there are similar to those in Chongqing, with people enjoying spicy flavors and chewy foods.
Zeng said the Nepalese distributor was impressed by Chongqing dried tofu's distinctive flavor and is optimistic about future cooperation. The two sides will continue exploring partnership opportunities.
Delegation targets green energy opportunities
For Eurasian countries, the expo also served as an important platform to deepen economic and trade cooperation with China. Beyond traditional industrial and agricultural sectors, cooperation in the new energy industry has also become a key focus.
Dzhumaev Mukhammadzhon, Representative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tajikistan, said the main purpose of attending the expo was to connect Tajik entrepreneurs with Chinese entrepreneurs, with a focus on bilateral trade cooperation.
He said China exports a wide range of products to Tajikistan, including industrial equipment, agricultural machinery, medical devices, and daily consumer goods. Tajikistan’s main exports to China include dried fruits, honey, some snack foods, and mineral resources.
“We already have some cooperation with Chongqing, and Chongqing’s new energy vehicles will also enter the Tajik market,” Mukhammadzhon said.
Alisher Salomov, Advisor to the Chairman of Uzbekistan’s National Committee for Ecology and Climate Change, said the delegation came to the expo in Urumqi to deepen cooperation with China.
He said the expo offers a good opportunity to bring Chinese experience into the Uzbek market and further into the wider Central Asian region through Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan has signed memorandums of understanding with more than 20 Chinese companies for investment in the country.
Salomov said the delegation is paying close attention to the green economy in western China, including green energy and solar energy.
A PwC report noted that Central Asia is also rich in solar and wind energy resources, which have become key industries for major countries in the region. E-commerce and automobiles are also important sectors in Central Asia’s economic transformation and upgrading, creating new opportunities for Chinese companies to invest and expand their presence.