5 Ways to Participate to Exhibitions in China during Covid

If you look at China during these challenging Covid-times, participating at an exhibition in China is probably not something you consider as your first priority, simply because it is almost impossible to travel to China these days. 

Nevertheless, there are good reasons to consider participating in trade fairs in 2022 or 2023:

• In China it’s business as usual. Despite the corona-situation in China and the rest of the world, exhibitions are still being held in China and in general it is possible to travel and do business within China. In the first half of 2020 all exhibitions in China were cancelled or postponed but starting from August/September 2020 most exhibitions were held.
• Bigger exposure. There’s a good chance that, if you find a solution to participate in an exhibition in China, you will be one of the few foreign companies. Hence, your company will probably have great exposure and will attract more attention from potential Chinese customers and partners.
• How long will you postpone your China business development any longer? Recent studies have shown that many companies continue to consider China as one of their most important and fastest growing export markets. With the corona pandemic already dominating the world economy since the beginning of 2020, companies active in the international market cannot continue to ignore China and need to move forward.

On the 20th of January 2022 Bart Horsten was a speaker at a webinar organized by the EU SME Centre, talking about ways to participate in trade fairs during Covid. In this article we have summarized the 5 solutions, alternatively you can watch the recording on YouTube at https://youtu.be/fByxfpac1YA.

Here are 5 options for European SMEs to participate at exhibitions in China without being able to travel to China.

1. Through your China office 

This is the easiest and most straightforward solution. If you have your own Chinese office and colleagues on the  ground in China, you can ask your colleagues to attend the exhibition on your behalf. 

2. With your China agent or distributor

If you already have a Chinese agent or distributor, you can ask your Chinese partner to represent your company at the trade fair. They know the market, they have the experience and Chinese-speaking staff and know how to follow-up after the exhibition. However, there are possible risks to this approach. You need to make sure to have solid contractual arrangements with your Chinese partner and ensure that they know your products well enough. Furthermore, protection of your intellectual properties and information sharing can be a challenge. 

3. Working with a third-party service provider

This is probably the most effective approach, as you will have more control over your exhibition strategy. The service provider has Chinese-speaking staff who can represent your company on the exhibition. Horsten International can offer this added value. We have a lot of experience in helping foreign companies participating at exhibitions in China and have cost-effective solutions to offer. Please contact us in case you need more information about our service package before, during and after the exhibition.

4. Working with government agencies or chambers of commerce

Many government agencies or chambers of commerce have representatives in China and offer tailor-made solutions to EU SMEs. Unfortunately, this service often is limited to a sample booth without representation. Or if there is representation, often students are engaged, resulting in limited success. Furthermore, it will be challenging to do an efficient follow-up from a distance.

5. Online participation or virtual exhibitions

Many Chinese exhibitions offer the possibility to meet with potential customers through video meetings or virtual exhibitions. Although the idea is interesting and it is definitely a cheap solution, the challenge remains in communicating efficiently with the potential Chinese counterpart. 

To conclude, there are several good reasons and cost-effective solutions to participate in exhibitions in China during Covid. You shouldn’t expect any miracles but, if you take the China market seriously, not being present in China for two years is also not an option. 

Please contact us in case you want to learn more about how Horsten International can help you and see some case studies on our website.