Chinese trade delegation keen on Sabah Expo 2019
KOTA KINABALU: A Chinese trade delegation from Weihai, Shandong, China has expressed interest to participate in Sabah International Expo 2019 (SIE2019), a State-sanctioned premier international exhibition jointly organised by Federation of Sabah Industries (FSI) and Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MICCI), Sabah.
SIE2019 will be held at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), Kota Kinabalu sometime towards the third quarter 2019 coinciding with the launching of SICC, the State’s new landmark M.I.C.E centre.
The interest was expressed by the Vice Director of the Weihai Trade Development Centre, Madam Bi Furong while leading a trade delegation to MIHAS 2018 in Kuala Lumpur at the invitation of FSI.
On hand to accompany and facilitate the delegates’ MIHAS 2018 participation was FSI deputy president (general affairs), Richard Lim.
The delegates also met with the Malaysia External Trade Development-Corporation (Matrade) Sabah Director, A. Rashid Mohd Zain.
Matrade is the organiser of MIHAS 2018 or the 15th Malaysia International Halal Showcase, the world’s largest Halal trade show which was successfully held from April 4 to 7 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (Mitec).
On the sideline of MIHAS 2018, the delegates also visited Sime Darby Berhad whose vicepresident/marketing director for China market, Madam Cindy Fu welcomed the group.
“China has been a regular exhibitor of past SIEs along with more than 25 other countries,” said Lim, adding that some of the Weihai entrepreneurs were repeat exhibitors.
“They were here during SIE2016,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lim said that he would be leading a delegation to the 9th Weihai International Food Expo this year to be held from June 22 to 25. He encouraged FSI members to participate and take advantage of the heavily subsidized event to promote and showcase Sabah’s food products at international level.
This time around, Lim said he had opened participation to Small & Medium Enterprises under the auspices of the Department of Industrial Development Research, Ministry of Industrial Development.
He has invited the ministry to jointly lead the delegation.
In June last year, Lim led a 22member delegation from Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia to the 8th Weihai International Food Expo at Weihai City, Shandong.
Participation by FSI members was heavily subsidized by the Weihai Trade Development Agency, made possible on account of FSI’s strong business ties with the agency.