Foreign guests are tasting tea at booths during the Xiamen International Autumn Tea Fair in China
Mauritian buyer Rajesh Gokool walked into the Xiamen International Expo Centre and immediately took notice of an amphibious wheeled excavator produced by a Fujian-based company.
Handshakes, seating, and hours-long discussions – such scenes repeatedly unfolded at the Xiamen International Construction Machinery Exhibition and Heavy Truck Parts Expo, which opened on June 26.
The exhibition connects "Made-in-China excellence" with professional buyers from 36 countries around the world.
Over the past two weeks, a series of internationally branded exhibitions have been held consecutively in Xiamen, drawing large numbers of domestic and overseas companies and business visitors.
Xiamen International Expo Centre
The question that arises is why this southeastern coastal city in China able to attract global exhibitors and make its professional exhibitions increasingly "go viral".
The answer, according to the organisers and a brief after the closure of the exhibition, lies in Xiamen's strong industrial base.
From June 26 to 28, the Xiamen International Construction Machinery Exhibition and Heavy Truck Parts Expo was held in Xiamen for the fourth time.
This year's exhibition covered a total area of 68,000 square metres, featuring three major zones – complete machinery, core components, and new energy intelligent equipment.
It attracted 1,200 companies, setting a new record in scale.
At the Xiamen International Buddhist Supplies Exhibition in China, exhibitors are presenting demonstrations of intangible cultural heritage.
Organisers noted that Xiamen and its surrounding cities have formed a globally recognised industrial cluster for construction machinery and heavy truck parts.
Products such as crawler chassis components are widely exported to Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
During China's 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), the number of above-designated-size enterprises in Xiamen's machinery and equipment sector increased from 963 to 1,219.
On the other hand, the output value rose from RMB 196 billion (Sh3.7 trillion) to RMB 270.7 billion (Sh5.1 trillion), with an average annual growth rate of 8.9 per cent.
One day before the expo, the Xiamen International Eyewear Industry Exhibition had just concluded. It was held again, only six months after the previous session, to meet strong demand from buyers and the market.
"Eyewear+" products, such as new materials and smart wearables, were showcased, reflecting the strength of Xiamen's eyewear industry.
As one of China's five major eyewear production bases, the city's eyewear industry has an annual output value exceeding RMB 10 billion (Sh190 million).
According to statistics, 24 large-scale professional exhibitions have been held in Xiamen in the first half of this year, all closely linked to local industries.
For example, the China Xiamen International Buddhist Items Fair and the China Xiamen International Tea Industry Expo are held every spring and autumn.
Meanwhile, the annual China Xiamen International Stone Fair, supported by the nearby Shuitou – the world's largest stone processing base – has developed over more than 20 years into the world's largest specialised stone exhibition.
A relevant official from the Xiamen Municipal Bureau of Commerce stated that Xiamen has already cultivated a number of internationally influential professional exhibitions, while many advantageous industry exhibitions remain to be further developed.
In the next five years, emerging industries, future industries, and a high-quality and efficient service industry system will become new growth drivers for the city's exhibition sector.
