A Chinese exhibitor introduces wigs to visitors during the China Trade Week held at Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, July 1, 2015. Kenya kicked off a three-day exhibition in Nairobi on Wednesday to woo Chinese business community to invest in diverse sectors of the economy. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)
Kenya kicked off a three-day exhibition in Nairobi on Wednesday to woo Chinese business community to invest in diverse sectors of the economy.
Officials said the China Trade Week Expo which brought over 150 Chinese exhibitors is expected to boost Sino-Kenya trade as it provides opportunity for exhibitors to showcase latest products from the Asian nation.
Speaking during the opening of the trade fair, Kenya Investment Authority (KenInvest) General Manager Pius Rotich said the event will encourage the formation of joint ventures between Kenya and Chinese investors.
"Kenya is keen to benefit from the latest manufacturing technology that China has to offer," Rotich said.
The first China Expo was jointly organized by the MIE Events, Kenya KenInvest, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI).
Rotich said Kenya has a vibrant industrial sector which has enabled it to be a key exporter of manufactured goods in East and Central Africa.
"However, we want to tap into the knowledge that has made China the largest source of manufactured goods globally," he said. The general manager stated that the expo has come at the right time.
He noted that currently, Kenya imports a large quantity of manufactured products meaning that there is a large domestic market.
"We are encouraging Chinese investors to set up their operations in Kenya and export to the rest of the region," he said.
KNCCI Deputy CEO Nemaisa Kiereini said that the China Trade Expo will offer an opportunity for Kenyan traders to learn how to do business with China.
Kiereini said that many business people incur difficulty in conducting trade with China due to the vast distance between the two nations.
The KNCCI official noted that the trade fair will provide a platform for Kenyan business community to engage directly with Chinese manufacturers so as develop local commercial partnerships.
Kiereini said the KNCCI is currently working on an exchange program with China's chamber as part of plans to enhance bilateral trade.
MIE Events Managing Director David Wang said that a lot of Chinese business people have expressed interest in doing business with Africa.
MIE Events International Director Gary Robinson said that the China Expo bring Chinese businesses to Kenya from a broad spectrum of the industrial sector.
The event will also offer training on how the Kenyan business community can source goods professionally from the Asian manufacturing giant.
