China's Canton Fair excites Kenyan entrepreneurs amid hope for lucrative deals

NAIROBI, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Since 2008, Eva Muhia, a Kenyan entrepreneur, has been attending the China Import and Export Fair, also known as the Canton Fair, lured by the guarantee of quality and affordable products to help grow her sanitation equipment venture.

The savvy middle-aged entrepreneur was in an upbeat mood as she narrated how she looked forward to clinching new business deals at the upcoming Canton Fair to be held in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou from April 15 to May 5.

"As someone who has always visited China to attend the Canton Fair annually except during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have witnessed the exciting opportunities it presents to foreign traders," Muhia told Xinhua on the sidelines of a promotion forum for the Canton Fair held Wednesday in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.

Muhia, director of Varet Products, a local company dealing with sanitation equipment, is among the 68-person delegation of Kenyan entrepreneurs who will be attending the fair to explore new business partnerships with Chinese manufacturers and retailers. She said previous editions of the fair have been an eye-opener to Kenyan business owners, exposing them to a wide range of high-quality but cheaper products that resonate with the local clients.

Muhia disclosed that she has been importing sanitation equipment like septic tanks and wastewater treatment gadgets from China after shifting from other overseas markets where they were sold at exorbitant prices.

Seth Kimeu, an optician-turned-businessman, said he expects to meet manufacturers of cutting-edge optical in Guangzhou.

"We have been importing opticals from China, and they have been embraced by our clients, including hospitals, clinics, and pharmacy shops. I hope to meet new suppliers of these products while at the Canton Fair," said Kimeu.

Pius Rotich, general manager of investment promotion and business development at the Kenya Investment Authority, said the fair presents a platform for local entrepreneurs to negotiate lucrative deals with their Chinese peers to help grow key economic sectors like manufacturing.

In particular, Rotich said the platform will also provide an opportunity for Kenya to showcase investment opportunities in agro-processing, affordable housing, and financial services.

Abraham Kamau, a second-hand clothes dealer, said his motivation to attend the upcoming fair was to explore China's textile and apparel sectors. "The last time I was in China was during the pre-pandemic era, and I look forward to the Canton Fair, where I hope manufacturers of new clothes will display their products," said Kamau.

The Kenyan business delegation has expressed keen interest in exploring Chinese-manufactured clean energy technologies, auto parts, and general machinery, said Gao Wei, managing director of Nairobi-based China Information and Culture Communication Kenya Ltd., a local partner of the Canton Fair.

Gao said Kenyan entrepreneurs will gain fresh insight into China's manufacturing prowess besides negotiating favorable terms with suppliers of quality products from the Asian nation.

Naftali Mwangi, a Nairobi-based importer of ceramics and other construction materials from China, said he was excited to attend the trade fair, where he looked forward to forging new business partnerships and learning more about the success of the construction industry in the Asian nation.

The astute businessman believed that Kenya can leverage China's best practices to reinvent the building and construction sectors, tackle the housing deficit, and generate jobs for the youthful workforce.