AMMAN, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Jordanian exhibitors at the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE), which wrapped up Tuesday in Shanghai, called the platform a strategic gateway to expand their presence in China, promote locally made products and deepen Jordan-China trade ties.
Coordinated by the Amman Chamber of Industry, five Jordanian companies from the food and chemical industries took part for the first time, seeking to benefit from the opportunity.
Among them is Sakura, a Dead Sea cosmetics company operating in a sector that has grown from a tourism-oriented souvenir business into an export-oriented manufacturing sector.
Sitting at the lowest point on Earth's surface, the Dead Sea is known for its dense concentration of natural salts and minerals. Jordanian manufacturers have turned these resources into a wide range of products, including therapeutic mud, bath salts, magnesium oil, facial masks, body scrubs, soaps, moisturizers and hair-care products.
Ahmed Al-Bass, representative of the chemical and cosmetics industries at the Jordan Chamber of Industry, called China a promising destination for these products given its large consumer base.
Jordanian exhibitors have drawn strong interest from the Chinese market, measured not only in business inquiries but in actual sales, Al-Bass said.
Abdullah Al-Dabbas, head of Jordan's Dead Sea Products Manufacturers Association, said the goal is to shift from exporting raw Dead Sea materials to selling finished goods to Chinese consumers, capturing more value before product leaves Jordan.
Jordanian confectionery maker Aghati is also eyeing the expo to build its footprint in China for traditional Middle Eastern sweets.
Drawing on more than 80 years of family tradition, the company has established three branches in two Chinese cities.
CEO Mohammed Abu Labba said the company's first participation in CIIE is a strategic step toward engaging with Chinese culture and gaining a closer understanding of local consumer preferences, and toward building long-term relationships with agents, distributors, Chinese consumers and Arab communities.
Nael Al-Husami, director general of Amman Chamber of Industry, said China represents a key opportunity for Jordanian finished products, as Jordan seeks to diversify its export markets and increase the share of value-added industrial products in overseas trade.
"Jordanian industry competes based on quality and building consumer trust in its products," Al-Husami said, expressing hope that successful participation in the expo would encourage more Jordanian companies to explore the Chinese market. ■
