Focus on the 7th WCIFIT | One-Stop Shopping for Global Trendy Products, Thousands of Local Specialties on Display – WCIFIT Showcases "International Flair" and "Chongqing Charm"

On May 23, at the Chongqing International Expo Center, many visitors flocked to the Thailand Pavilion to shop for specialty products. The annual Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (WCIFIT) is not only an open event for investment and trade negotiations but also a platform for the public to purchase global goods. Photo by Reporter Zhang Jinhui/Visual Chongqing

The annual WCIFIT is more than just a high-level event for investment and trade - it's also an international "marketplace" where citizens can shop for global products. On May 24, the reporter observed bustling crowds across the exhibition halls, with a wide array of domestic and international specialty goods and thousands of local products attracting throngs of eager shoppers.

A Global Shopping Spree -

Trendy Products from Around the World, All in Chongqing

Centered on the theme of "New Western China, New Manufacturing, New Services", this year's WCIFIT has drawn guests and exhibitors from multiple countries and regions to the mountainous city. Thailand, this year's Guest Country of Honor, has built a 600-square-meter "Mini Thailand Town", where products like durian chips, dried mangoes, coconut juice, and butterfly pea flower tea have drawn crowds of curious buyers. The authentic "Thai flavors" left a lasting impression on visitors.

The "WCIFIT Selected Experience Center" exhibition area was bustling with crowds. Here, visitors could explore a dazzling array of specialty products from Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, America, the Middle East and other regions, creating an atmosphere akin to an international "bazaar".

For instance, at the Afghanistan booth, exquisite handmade carpets attracted large numbers of curious shoppers. The foreign representative at the booth fluently explained in Mandarin: "These handmade carpets are premium products. To maintain their beauty, they don't need washing frequently - regular vacuuming suffices for daily maintenance". The reporter learned this exhibitor was participating in WCIFIT for the fifth consecutive year, having become thoroughly familiar with the event's operations. Besides carpets, he also brought other handicrafts like beaded bracelets and wooden carvings.

Other popular items that became "hot sellers" at the exhibition included Italian retro-style home appliances and sunglasses, Czech mineral water and beer, Uruguayan amethyst, Russian coffee and ice cream, Belarusian chocolate, Nigerian wooden carvings, Burmese jade products, and French red wine - all drawing considerable interest from visitors.

District/County-Specific "Creative Promotions"

Exhibition Halls Transform into "Competition Stages"

At the WCIFIT, exhibition halls representing various Chongqing districts and counties not only showcased thousands of local specialty products but also set up culinary "competition stages". Signature dishes like Liangping Zhangyazi (Preserved Duck), Chengkou Gastrodia and Native Chicken Soup, Qianjiang Chicken Offal, Wuxi Grilled Fish, and Fuling Pickled Mustard Tuber and Glutinous Rice Balls drew waves of eager visitors, keeping vendors bustling with activity.

In the Kaizhou District exhibition hall, "master chefs" demonstrated their skills by preparing chrysanthemum tofu on-site, with their precise and intricate knife work earning frequent applause from spectators. The district also presented an oversized platter featuring local products - including yam, purple sweet potato, and corn alongside appetite-whetting cured meats, pork ribs, and fermented fish - creating a visually striking display.

The Fengdu County exhibition hall became a gourmet "showcase", with eight renowned spicy chicken vendors gathering to attract customers through their unique offerings. One vendor shared with the reporters: "We've already sold over a dozen native chickens this morning through scan-and-order purchases".

At the Tongnan District exhibition hall, companies like Huida Lemon and Mengtai Biotechnology showcased their deep-processed lemon products, including lemon pectin, essential oils, and freeze-dried slices, attracting numerous business visitors for negotiations. Featured agricultural products such as the edible oil from Red Dragonfly, bergamot products from Chongqing Jiuji Agricultural Comprehensive Development Co., Ltd., and lemon wine from Chongqing Qiaoba Green Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. also made their debut at this year's WCIFIT.

Stepping into the Wanzhou District exhibition hall, visitors were immediately immersed in an atmosphere blending technological innovation with cultural heritage. Fifteen local enterprises renowned for their "famous, premium, distinctive and innovative" products collaborated to create five themed exhibition zones, displaying over a hundred specialty items spanning food processing, intangible cultural heritage, advanced materials, and pharmaceutical chemicals - including the renowned Three Gorges Embroidery, Carpenter Tan's woodwork, and Aosika Grain & Oil's products.

The Wulong District exhibition hall fully demonstrated the county's advantages in cultural tourism, highlighting its characteristic industries like tourism products and high-altitude agriculture, sharing industry development opportunity lists with potential investors.

Provinces, Autonomous Regions, Municipalities and Cities Actively Participate

Featured Products Gain Popularity

The WCIFIT also featured specialty products from over 20 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and cities across China. Visitors enjoyed interactive experiences with products like Sawur honey lemon water from Altay Prefecture in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, fragrant glutinous corn from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and wooden carvings from Changchun, Jilin, while also receiving special benefits on-site. As the Guest City of Honor, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region drew crowds of trendsetters to its exhibition hall, where signature foods like silk-stocking milk tea and unique cultural-creative products became popular "check-in" attractions.

Sichuan Province, as a permanent Guest Province of Honor, set up a 400-square-meter exhibition hall. The pavilion attracted numerous visitors who enthusiastically photographed and purchased featured products, keeping staff constantly busy. Notably, Banan District partnered with enterprises from Wenjiang District, Chengdu for a joint exhibition. While exploring Banan District's "cutting-edge technologies" in intelligent manufacturing and biopharmaceuticals, visitors could also sample Wenjiang's light snacks, including spicy rabbit cubes and fennel crackers.

Guang'an City of Sichuan Province also brought nearly 100 types of "Guang'an Specialties" to the exhibition. Long queues formed in front of featured agricultural products such as Deng's Salt-preserved Eggs, Grandma Long's Cured Meat products, Long'an Pomelo series foods, Yuechi Rice Noodles, navel orange fermented wine, and camphor wood products.

This year's WCIFIT also launched the "WCIFIT Benefits the Entire City" consumption promotion campaign. From May 18 to May 25, citizens could enjoy various discounts offered by merchants across multiple commercial districts. Participating businesses included tea brands like CHAGEE distributing discount coupons, numerous stores at LONGFOR Chongqing Park Paradise Walk offering special promotions, and T3 Go providing travel gift packages.

Source: New Chongqing - Chongqing Daily