CICPE opens doors to China for global brands

Photo taken on April 15, 2024, shows a stall inside the Irish Pavilion at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Chang Sha)

Against the backdrop of gentle sea breezes and lush coconut trees, the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo is taking place in Haikou, the capital city of south China's Hainan Province, from April 13 to 18.

Philips, a global health technology company from the Netherlands, made its debut at the event, showcasing a wide range of new products.

Oliver Cheng, senior vice president and general manager of Personal Health at Philips Greater China, told People's Daily Online that the expo serves as a platform for the brand to gain exposure to more Chinese consumers and creates opportunities for the company to interact and learn from its business partners.

The Dutch company displayed a special edition shaver designed for the Year of the Dragon, seamlessly blending traditional Chinese elements with advanced technologies to cater to the demands of the Chinese market.

"We are always committed to being a 'localized' global company in China, and dedicated to leveraging our new technologies to bring the best products for Chinese consumers," noted Cheng, adding that the company will continue to explore the Chinese market, which it considers the most dynamic and promising worldwide.

Philips was among the first foreign-invested enterprises to enter China, and now the country is its second-largest market globally.

Tissot, a Swiss watch brand, has participated in the CICPE for four consecutive years, witnessing the event's transformation into the largest consumer products exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region.

Vincent Zhu, Tissot China's brand manager, emphasized the significance and scale of the Chinese market for the company. He noted that Chinese consumers' discerning taste in watches had motivated the brand to enhance its quality and pursue innovation.

Photo taken on April 15, 2024, shows Swiss watch brand Tissot's booth at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Chang Sha)

Zhu believes that the numerous policies implemented in China, particularly the duty-free policies in Hainan, have created a fertile environment and instilled confidence in the company's growth within the country.

"Through its own progress and innovation, China brings enormous cooperation potential for the rest of the world, which makes us quite confident about our prospects in China," Zhu said.

Pernod Ricard, a world-renowned spirits and wine maker from France, is also a four-time attendee at the CICPE. This year, the company is showcasing a portfolio of over 60 products, including The Chuan Pure Malt Whisky produced in China.

This whisky features a unique Chinese terroir, maturing in three types of oak barrels, one of which is crafted from timber sourced from the Changbai Mountains in northeast China's Jilin Province. The whisky is produced in a distillery at the foot of Mount Emei in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Jerome Cottin-Bizonne, CEO of Pernod Ricard China, described The Chuan whisky as "a Chinese malt whisky made in China, for China and for the world."

Photo taken on April 14, 2024, shows colored porcelain from Türkiye at the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. (People's Daily Online/Chang Sha)

The company announced a total investment of 1 billion yuan ($138 million) in a decade in the whisky distillery it has established in China, according to Cottin-Bizonne.

Pernod Ricard is also an active participant in China's sustainability efforts. To date, the company has reforested and restored 60,000 mangrove trees in Hainan and Guangdong provinces, with plans to add another 1.88 hectares of mangrove wetlands in Sanya, Hainan this year, contributing to local biodiversity conservation.

With the theme of "Share Open Opportunities, Co-create a Better Life," this year's CICPE has attracted over 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions. The expo serves as a platform for international enterprises to better understand the Chinese market, showcase their products to a wider consumer base, and seize opportunities arising from China's development.