WELLINGTON - The upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE) is not only a six-day event but also has a significant flow-on effect, effectively connecting exhibitors to the Chinese market, said Roy van den Hurk, general manager of Theland Global R&D from Milk New Zealand Dairy Ltd before Theland's participation in the CIIE for the seventh time in a row.

The CIIE, an open platform filled with opportunities, embodies China's high level of openness, Roy told Xinhua, adding that each CIIE offers invaluable insight into global strategic planning in the Chinese market.

Starting as a small exhibitor with just a 50-square-meter booth, Milk New Zealand Dairy now has a 200-square-meter space and is a "full-attendance participant" after seven years at CIIE, Roy said.

"When we first joined the CIIE in 2018, Theland was still a small exhibitor," he said, adding the trade facilitation policies at CIIE, however, offered enormous opportunities to small-to-medium exhibitors.

"They enabled our fresh milk to clear customs with 'zero wait time,' allowing our milk from New Zealand farms to reach Chinese consumers' tables within just 72 hours, something unimaginable before," Roy said.

The CIIE provides a high-level procurement platform, facilitating on-site connections between exhibitors and a strong pool of professional buyers, which greatly enhances supply-demand efficiency. The CIIE's spillover effect also accelerates the rollout of new products, he added.

Citing an example of Theland's 4.0 milk, which was launched at the CIIE and was expanded from first- and second-tier cities to small counties in three months, a process that usually takes at least a year, Roy said this fourfold increase in speed has allowed the New Zealand company to establish roots in the Chinese market and continuously grow.

The CIIE has connected supply chains with distribution networks, he said. Theland signed a partnership with Beijing Wumart Group during the second CIIE in 2019, and quickly expanded to cover 25 provinces, 52 regional leaders, and 5,000 stores. Later, the company quickly entered strategic partnerships with major e-commerce platforms, further embedding itself in China's food industry cluster.

At each CIIE, Theland introduces global debut products, using China as a testing ground and expanding, Roy said, adding that Theland is committed to deepening its roots in China.

This is also the second year that Theland has led a group of New Zealand small and medium enterprises to the CIIE, increasing from 12 to 21 companies, hoping to share China's growth opportunities and market dividends with more New Zealand enterprises, he said.