Canton Trade Fair in China

R.K. Shivachandra *

China Export Commodities Fair, also known as Canton Fair, is held twice a year in August and October at Guangzhou in China. It was launched in the spring of 1957. It is China's largest trade fair of the highest level, of the most inclusive varieties and of the largest attendance and business turnover. Leaders of relevant departments, provincial and municipal government, ambassadors, from all over the globe and consuls witnessed the trade fair together. The fair is expecting an estimate about nearly 200,000 buyers from over 200 countries and regions this time in Guangzhou. The exhibition space of National Pavilion will be expanded to about 825,000 M2, with 10,767 stands increased. 15,000 top Chinese domestic exhibitors with best reputation and strong competitiveness will participate and show their exhibits in 34 sections. The International Pavilion, with an exhibition space of 15,000 M2, will be set up in Pazou complex. Statistics shows the total turnover of the 2007 101st session reaches USD 36.39 billion, which hits a historical high with an increase of 6.8 % over the 2006 session. The trade volume of machines and electronic products reached USD 14.68 billion; light industry products reaches USD 12.14 billion; garment and textile reaches USD 3.31 and 2.78 billion. Report of Guangzhou trade fare in the website reveals.

The 104th Canton Fair otherwise Guangzhou Fair will be held this year in October to November 2008 at Guangzhou in three phases. The first phase will begin with effect from 15th October to 19th October 2008 at Pazou Complex Guangzhou. The second phase from October 24th to 28th and third phase, which is considered to be very significant phase, will begin from 2nd November to 6th November 2008.

The first phase of the fair will exhibit large sections of Machineries, Equipment, Small Machinery, Bicycles, Motorcycles, Vehicle Spare Parts, Chemical Products, Hardware Tools etc. The second phase will mainly showcase varieties of products ranging from Kitchen ware to Toiletries etc.

The third phase which is believed to attract more business communities would fully emphasize on latest Male and female garments, Childs wear, Sports and casual wear, shoes, Home textiles and lots more.

For the business communities Guangzhou is not a new name. The city which is also known as Canton, located in the north of Pearl River Delta, is the capital of Guangdong Province and the gateway to the south China. Known as the "City of Flowers", Guangzhou is a busy Industrial estate of China where varieties of product ranging fron needles to large machines are being manufactured. The latest fashionable garment spined through the thousands of sophisticated machines finds its way to Bangkok, Hongkok and to different markets of the world. In Moreh and Naphalong circuit, Chinese made products appeared to be very inferior in quality, whereas in Guangzhou the assumption may prove wrong. The best Chinese products will be displayed in thousands of pavilions this time.

Guangzhou is hardly two hour drive from Hong Kong. Buses and fast train moves round the clock.

Obtaining Chinese visa require to follow certain formalities for Indian nationals. Hotel reservation and its confirmation in China is a must. Bank passbook for self that shows Rs. 2.5 lacs in the latest record is compulsory. A sponsorship letter from a farm in China should be produced while applying for visa through Chinese consulate General in Kolkata.

A contingent of 10 members from Nagaland and Manipur under the name Manipur Enterprises would participate in the October 2008 Canton Fair in Guangzhou. Formal invitation has already been extended from China to the body through e-mail.

Guangzhou trade fare and North Eastern India:
For us China is a distant country. There is no direct flight to Hong Kong from Kolkata at the moment. One has to travel via Bangkok to reach Guangzhou. The alternative option is Bangladesh Biman Airlines via Dhaka. But if we are allowed to travel by land route it is just about 700 kms from our border Tammu to China. The road linking to China from Mandalay is simply superb. Lazy cars could take 4 to 5 hours from Mandalay to Muse bordering China in Shan State of Myanmar. Otherwise it could be faster. For time being entry to Myanmar by land route had been stopped from Manipur.

In the Chinese side the distance between Guangzhou to Zegao (Myanmar border) via Ruili is an overnight journey. We have seen in the past there was a hectic business activities carried out between the two countries at this border point. I had the privilege to visit Myanmar more than 15 times in the last four years. Though my first journey to Myanmar wholly meant for business, the follow up trips had however been towards tracing the missing link of a community separated by a political boundary. Earlier 34 members of us had traveled to Muse (China border) by land route from Tammu. This was with a view to explore business avenues with the South East Asian Countries who have a cultural and ethnic links with the North Eastern people of India.

There are an odd 40,000 numbers of Meitei scattered in Myanmar. “Many Manipuris settled in the Irawady Delta were among the victims in the recent devastating cyclone Nagris in Myanmar” said by Shyamlal Sharma, a Manipuri of Paonagong (Meitei Colony) in Yangon.

During my trips to Myanmar, I came across with certain sections of Manipuri businessmen in Mandalay, Yangon and Kalemyu etc. Many Manipuris in Yangon are reputed transporters, having their links in different parts of Myanmar and even to the extent of Tammu towards Manipur.

The Manipuris in Myanmar are all keen to join hands in business with their cousins in Manipur who had been separated in the Manipuri Burmese war in 1823.

So also many business tycoons in China are looking up to do business with Manipuris through Manipur in Indian side. Many transporters in Guangzhou are ready to accept any amount of consignment - be it heavy machines or garments meant to be transported towards Mandalay than to Tammu.

The merchandise items available in Bangkok are 90% imported from Guangzhou. Bangkok is flourishing because of the Indian businessmen who formed into uncountable numbers. The Fancy market in Kolkata is purely a mini markets for imported goods of Bangkok. The items are meant only to be sold to the people of North Eastern parts of India. Prominent traders from North Eastern India too often travel to Bangkok for marketing. But the items they purchased are transported through carriers who charge exorbitantly almost the double of the cost. Of course all the consignments had to be carried to India by air-cargoes. The customs officials in Kolkata are also part of this game. Faces from North East are not seen in the customs official deals. Some people procure merchandise only from Kolkata to avoid Customs official’s humiliations at the airport. The larger question that has emerged now is why we should choose other routes while we are having the viability of accessing through Muse-Mandalay and Tammu road. The shortest and most economic route. Moreover a new rule in Myanmar had been enacted that tourists from China’s side have been allowed entering Myanmar side without valid visas. This is with a view to improve the tourism activities at the border line.

For the moment Chinese and other south Asian countries are looking in question to us as to how we transform Manipur to be the gateway to South East Asia. The question is too difficult to answer. We all know that translating this dream into reality; it instantly demands a lot of dedications and hard works from the people of Manipur. But to many Manipuris this question remains a trillion dollar question. Moreh is not an economic zone as yet for many inexplicable reasons. In our lips we utter globalization, Trans Asian High ways and lots more. Are we ready to cope- up with the new challenge? No… we are not really prepared for this. Bombs, guns and bullets are our daily prayers. Dieing men in the pool of bloods are what we frantically trying to find out in the newspapers. The rest is not news.

We, together in on voice need to reaffirm once again that we are working for development nothing but development.