Playing Fair
Import expo is to promote globalization against the headwinds of protectionism and unilateralism
Owners who regard their pets as family members are worried about the apparently shorter lifespan of their animals in
China.
“In Japan, the average lifespan of cats is 18 years, but Chinese cats hardly reach 12,” Brandy Niu, General Manager of Mars Pet Nutritioncare China, an American pet food and nutrition company, told Beijing Review.
Regarding the six-year difference, Niu said that food is of the utmost importance. In Europe and the United States, owners buy dedicated food and almost 80 to 90 percent of it can be converted to calories, she explained. However, in China, the conversion rate is about 10 percent. In other words, only 10 percent is food, the other parts are excess leftovers.
“So both the industry and consumers require education,” Niu said. Her company is working with government agencies and industry associations to map out a standard for pet food. China’s first safety code for pet food was rolled out in May and will benefit the whole industry.
As part of its efforts to promote healthy pet food, Niu’s company will showcase its brand, introduce new products, and understand the preferences and interests of consumers at the first China International Import Expo (CIIE), to be held in Shanghai on November 5-10. “The CIIE is one of our top priorities in the second half of 2018,” Niu said.
A bridge and platform
In 1989, Mars Pet Nutritioncare China became one of the first companies in the industry to come to China. It will mark its 30th anniversary next year and the CIIE has a significant role in its development plans.
“It is not just an expo, the CIIE is both a platform and bridge,” Niu emphasized. “It will connect Mars Pet Nutritioncare China with government officials, manufacturers, service providers and consumers, creating more possibilities for cooperation and innovation in the future. The expo will end but the opportunities it provides will continue.”
The first import-themed expo in the world, the CIIE has become a talking point at home and even abroad since President Xi Jinping declared the plan at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May 2017. At the opening of the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference in April, Xi said that the CIIE is “not just another expo in an ordinary sense, but a major policy initiative and commitment taken of our own accord to open up the Chinese market.”
Receiving the fortified signal that China will continue to open up, a kaleidoscope of enterprises from all over the globe are ready to take part in the event. So far, more than 2,800 exhibitors from over 130 countries and regions have confirmed their attendance, and 80 countries have signed up to participate in the country pavilion for trade and investment. This area covers about 30,000 square meters at the expo where companies can showcase their trade and investment achievements and signature products. More than 150,000 Chinese and foreign buyers are expected to join.
“The CIIE is not a solo for China but a