PH Debuts at the Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade

25 July 2022, Chongqing – The Philippines made its first appearance at the 4th Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade (WCIFIT), held on 21-24 July 2022 at the Yuelai Convention Center in Chongqing, China.

With the assistance of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Shanghai, the Philippine Consulate General in Chongqing mounted a national display at the WCIFIT’s International Pavilion consisting of assorted food and wellness products of reputable Philippine brands, either imported by or manufactured in China, namely Century International China, Team Asia Corporation, Excellent Quality, Oishi and Bebebalm.  

“Chongqing consumers and wholesale buyers warmly received our products,” Philippine Consul General Flerida Ann Camille P. Mayo reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs. “Product sampling on site translated to a better-than-expected number of QR code scans alongside serious inquiries from potential buyers,” she added.

The Consulate General also advertised Philippine investment opportunities and promoted Philippine tourism while broadening Philippine brand awareness in Southwest China at the four-day trade fair.

At a pooled press interview following the WCIFIT opening ceremony, Consul General Mayo appreciated the value of the WCIFIT in stimulating Philippines-China commercial relations in the new normal and strengthening bilateral trade flows. “We are fortunate to be in a place where the wheels of trade could be oiled again by high profile events like the WCIFIT. We look forward to availing ourselves of more opportunities to add to the range of goods and areas that our countries trade and invest in,” she said.

The municipality of Chongqing is said to be home to the largest resident population in China numbering over 32 million people. It is being built up as a leading international consumption center and ranks third overall in the 2022 Forbes China Consumption Vitality List, after Beijing and Shanghai. 

The WCIFIT is an annual trade and investment fair in Chongqing. The event is co-sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Water Resources, State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and the Chongqing Municipal People’s Government.  This year, a total of 1,212 companies from 26 countries and regions participated in WCIFIT.  END