China import expo sign of post-pandemic economic recovery

QUITO -- The upcoming China International Import Expo is "a tangible sign" of China's economic recovery from the COVID-19 impact, said Jose Antonio Camposano, president of Ecuador's National Chamber of Aquaculture.

"The fair is a further proof of the way in which China has shown the world that it is possible to create safe space for businesses to develop within this very difficult context of the pandemic," Camposano said in an interview with Xinhua recently.

The CIIE, which is to be held on Nov 5-10 this year in Shanghai, facilitates China's economic cooperation and trade with countries and regions around the world, and is now in its third edition.

"We are very enthusiastic about the expo taking place," said the business leader, who believes China's economic recovery "is good for businesses in various countries."

Camposano further explained with the story of Ecuadorian shrimp, a premium local product.

"Shrimp has been exported to China for more than seven years, and in other words, there is a mature relationship when it comes to this product," Camposano said.

Due to the pandemic, there was a drop in sales of the crustacean, but August saw a slight recovery, and by September sales "were reactivated" thanks to the increasing demand for the product during China's National Day holidays, added Camposano.

"We hope that as the days go by and the economic recovery keeps taking hold in China, we can continue to expand business with it (China), which is our main market," said the industry insider.

The CIIE, in effect, is an "important venue" for countries and regions seeking to do business with the world's second largest economy, he said. "The fair is important for those who want the gates of trade between their country and China to open much more."

Given the global recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, events like the CIIE are a big help to Latin America's economic recovery, he added.

"The globalized world requires that all players be interconnected. Trade is part of that interconnection. Today, Latin American countries are substantially increasing their trade with China, and they look very favorably on the economic recovery of their trade partner," he said.