The organizing committee of the 3rd China-South Asia Exposition and the 23rd China Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair has stated that the fairs were a resounding success.
The organizing committee stated that they had sold 700,000 tickets with around 740,000 visiting the fair. Additionally, they also noted that 1,100 journalists from 16 nations took part in the fair.
A press release issued by the organizing committee stated that the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee and the People’s Government of Yunnan Province had always focused on the instrumental role such fairs played in serving and integrating the Silk Route initiative and in building a regional powerhouse for South Asia region.
The press release noted that H.E. Mr. Thongsing Thammavong, Prime Minister of Laos, H.E. Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of National Parliament of Bangladesh, H.E. Mr. Hoang Trung Hai, Deputy
Prime Minister of Viet Nam, H.E. Mr. Sun Chanthol, Senior Minister and Minister of Commerce, Cambodia, H.E. Mr. V.K. Singh, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Theme Country of the Expo, H.E. M.L. Panadda Diskul, Minister of the Prime Minister' s Office of Thailand, Guest of Honor of GMS Countries Commodities Exhibition, H.E. Mr. Li Jiheng, Secretary of CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, Mr. Wang Shouwen, Vice Minister of Commerce of China and President Abdullah Yameen delivered addresses in the opening ceremonies of the two fairs.
The release said that these addresses attracted the presence of over 2,000 guests, including 70 ministers, vice ministers, governors and mayors from 31 countries and 2 regions, heads of 2 international organizations, 8 foreign ambassadors to China, 17 consul-generals, senior officials from national authorities and 27 provinces, municipalities and regions, as well as management of 18 national SOEs, 100 private businesses and a dozen financial institutions.
In his address, President Yameen had pointed out that the successful Expo plays an important role in promoting trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges between China and countries in South Asia and will elevate bilateral ties between China and the neighborly South Asia, including Maldives.
The aggregate foreign trade volume of the 3rd Expo and the 23rd Fair stood at USD 25.19 billion, including contracted projects of USD 12.61 billion.