KABUL, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- For a growing number of Afghan entrepreneurs, the China International Import Expo (CIIE) has evolved from a promotional platform into a strategic gateway, one that offers access to international buyers, investment prospects and commercial partnerships capable of lifting local enterprises beyond the constraints of the domestic market.
As the annual gathering in Shanghai draws near, Afghan companies specializing in handwoven carpets, premium saffron and rose-based products are preparing to showcase their goods with a clear objective: to deepen ties with Chinese partners and open pathways to wider global markets.
Hamed Rauf, vice president of Qader Rauf Company, is among the Afghan entrepreneurs seeking to strengthen the country's presence in China's lucrative carpet market through sustained participation in the expo.
"We hope that this year's exhibition will be as successful as in previous years and that we will be able to attract more customers. I hope we can display 80 to 90 percent of our products at this exhibition," Rauf told Xinhua.
The company, which currently employs between 350 and 400 women, has built much of its success around its participation in the CIIE since the event's inaugural edition in 2018. Rauf has attended the expo every year since then, using the platform to cultivate business relationships and introduce Afghan carpets to prospective international customers.
"By participating in the China International Import Expo, good doors were opened for us. We were able to meet and establish connections with Chinese traders," Rauf said.
The firm exported approximately 6,500 square meters of handwoven carpets to China so far in 2026, illustrating both the strength of existing trade links and the scope for further expansion.
Similar ambitions are driving Jahan Saffron, an Afghan enterprise preparing to showcase one of the country's prized agricultural products at the international trade event in Shanghai.
"We hope to return from this year's exhibition with better results and make progress towards securing a market for Afghan saffron in China," said Farhad Omid, who is in charge of Jahan Saffron.
Omid said closer links with Chinese buyers could help Afghan producers reach new customers, explore export opportunities and expand their presence in international supply chains.
"China purchases tonnes of saffron annually from various countries. This presents an excellent opportunity for Afghanistan to supply the Chinese market with saffron and other products, including dried fruit," he said.
The drive to expand internationally is also reaching Afghanistan's traditional rose-based fragrance industry, where producers are seeking to connect local resources and craftsmanship with international demand.
Dara-e-Noor Rose Herbal Pharma, based in eastern Nangarhar province, is preparing to participate in the China International Import Expo in Shanghai for the first time. The company hopes to use the event to introduce its products to a wider audience, establish relationships with international traders and explore opportunities to expand its overseas markets.
"We want to establish links in China with international traders involved in the production and processing, as well as the buying and selling, of rose products, so that we can develop markets for our products globally," Shirin Aqa Raouf, the company's sales manager, told Xinhua inside his company in Behsud district of Nangarhar.
The company sees international market access as an opportunity not only to increase sales, but also to expand its production base and strengthen links with local growers.
"We hope to return from the exhibition with sufficient marketing opportunities to expand our operations throughout Dara-e-Noor district, as well as into other cooler districts of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, and ultimately across Afghanistan," Raouf said.
For these Afghan enterprises, the China International Import Expo is far more than a temporary showcase. It offers a rare platform to build lasting commercial partnerships, diversify export markets and integrate into global value chains, objectives many local business leaders see as vital to the country's longer-term economic recovery. ■
