By Qiu Quanlin

Vice-Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong (second from left) visits Pazhou Complex of Canton Fair yesterday morning escorted by officials from the ministry and the fair organizing committee.

She notes that the setting up of the import pavilion at the fair is a manifestation of the Chinese government's decision to actively promote import and seek trade balance.

She is told by domestic exhibitors that Canton Fair has served them as a springboard to international markets and they are now trying to build a better image by taking advantage of the unique platform.

After listening to the reports from the machinery chamber of commerce of China, Ma said the companies should pay more attention to energy-saving and environmental protection since they have been the criteria for differentiating excellent products from low quality ones.

The chamber is also advised to enhance its members' awareness regarding the two issues and sharpen their competitive edge in the global market.

A sound credit rating system is of great importance for domestic electromechanical enterprises to perform better globally, noted a senior commerce official.

"The system will also help adjust the growth mode of domestic companies, which focus on the import and export of electromechanical products, and push forward healthy overall development in the electromechanical industry," said Ma Xiuhong, vice-minister of commerce.

Ma made the remarks at an assessment conference for domestic electromechanical export and import enterprises, held yesterday in conjunction with the ongoing 102nd China Import and Export Fair, internationally known as "Canton Fair."

High-ranking officials from China Foreign Trade Center and China International Electronic Commerce Center were also present at the conference, which was aimed at promoting the establishment of a sound credit rating system in the electromechanical industry.

"A top electromechanical brand should, firstly, be a company with good credibility. Being a creditable company is the only way for domestic electromechanical enterprises to have a better go globally," Ma said.

Ma also called for domestic electromechanical enterprises to attach utmost importance to setting up their own brands in the international market.

"Brand building, which is of great importance to foreign trade growth, can increase sales and promote companies' reputation in the international market," she said, adding that energy-saving and environmentally friendly concepts should be included in brand building.

Representatives of a total of 88 domestic credit rating enterprises, including Haier Group, Great Wall Motor and Wolong Electric Group were present at yesterday's  conference.

They also joined hands to launch a credit rating promotional activity yesterday, calling upon all domestic electromechanical enterprises to build brands with good reputation in the international market.

In recent years, China has seen rapid development in the trade of electromechanical products, official statistics indicate.

China's import and export volume of electromechanical products reached $635.9 billion during the first seven months of the current year, an increase of 23.4 percent year-on-year. It is expected to reach more than $1,200 billion this year.

China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, a leading vertical portal of the electromechanical industry, was approved by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and the National Office of Rectification and Standardization of Market Economic Order as an experimental unit for credit assessment in the electromechanical industry.

(Source: Canton Fair News)