The Spanish Foreign Trade Association (ICEX) belongs to the Spanish government, which is dedicated to helping Spanish companies successfully deal with export and international business. ICEX provides practical export information, advice and support for Spanish merchants to seek and expand international markets, and guide them to invest overseas.
After knowing that the first China International Import Expo would be held in China, ICEX actively sent information to Spanish companies and organize 27 Spanish companies to participate in the expo, mainly in the agricultural pavilion and service pavilion of the Expo.
At the beginning of the preparations for the Expo, the 27 Spanish companies realized that the opportunity was precious and could not be missed. Coincidentally, before the Expo, a food exhibition was held, and many Spanish companies came to China for attending the two expos. Most of the 27 Spanish companies are well-known in Spain, but 65% of them have never set foot in China. They are willing to mak zero breakthroughs and establish economic and trade exchanges with Chinese companies.
Some Spanish companies that did not get the opportunity to attend the expo and they were not willing to give up. They looked for other ways to attend the expo or not appeared as exhibitors in the Expo and actively sought business opportunities. At the Expo, there are more than 27 Spanish companies.
The Spanish companies made participation early for attending the expo. A Spanish food company paid great attention to the expo. It warmed up in Shanghai before the expo, and introduces Spanish high-end wine through social media and official website. Owing to Spanish wines had great fame in the Chinese market, the efforts of the Spanish food company amade good effects during the expo.
Many Spanish companies gave feedback that the Expo helped them know more about the Chinese market and got acquainted with more Chinese partners. They can be the traders in China, or they can be the investors. There were amount of possibilities in the Chinese market.
Yang Chao, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, welcomed the enterprises from all over the world to participate in the expo and do business with Chinese companies in the conference on investment promotion of the China International Import Expo. Meanwhile, companies from all over the world were also welcomed to consider the expo as investment opportunities. In this regard, the Spanish companies had the same feeling.
Spanish companies have great fame and competitiveness in machinery manufacturing, automation, chemicals,tools, automobiles, food, clothing, fabrics and footwear.“The investment of Spanish companies spread over China, such as Kunshan, Suzhou of Jiangsu Province Shanghai, and Tianjin.” Arturo Lanz García, deputy economic and commercial consul of the Consulate General of Spain in Shanghai and representative of the Economic and Commercial Apartment of the Spanish Foreign Trade Association (ICEX), said that the trade and investment of Spanish companies and Chinese companies will become more and more frequent. One of the reasons is that transportation is increasingly convenient."Shanghai, to Madrid, Barcelona, and now have direct flights. Both sides are willing to travel to each other for trade negotiation and make investment.”
An interesting thing is that the largest exhibit of the expo——almost equivalent to a three-story building——a German planer milling machine, was shipped by a large container ship"Spanish wheel" from COSCO Shipping Lines Co. LTD, which installed 12 containers and costed nearly a month from European port to Shanghai. The"Spanish Wheel" was put into use in February, 2014 and sailed on the Far EastEurope route of COSCO Shipping.
