The country's largest trade fair is unlikely to be hit by recent safety concerns over China-made products, according to buyers and exhibitors at the event.

 

Anders Rikheim, general manager of Norwegian firm Sino Trade, said the issue won't affect his orders at the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou.

 

"Every country has products of differing quality and our job is to source the right producers," he said. "If buyers complain about quality problems, it is only because they didn't find the right products."

 

Some importers said they would ask for extra inspections of products produced in China, but the majority agreed that they won't stop buying made-in-China products because of their quality and competitive price.

 

The trade fair, also known as the Canton Fair, was a spending spree for international buyers in the past. But a spate of recalls of Chinese products has raised concern over the quality of Chinese exports.

 

Organizers and exhibitors are highlighting product safety at this session of the fair amid nationwide efforts to repair the image of Chinese exports.

 

"We require all trading teams to review their companies' products to ensure they meet quality standards," said Xu Bing, spokesman for the fair's organizing committee.

 

Exporters will not be allowed to exhibit at the fair if product safety problems are found.

 

The organizing committee will also investigate exporters subject to complaints from foreign buyers. They will be banned from the fair if their products are found to be unsafe, Xu said.

 

China National Medicines & Health Products Import & Export Corp, a Beijing-based pharmaceuticals maker, is trying to strengthen quality control in the wake of safety concerns involving Chinese drugs, said Du Yu, an official from the company's export department.

 

"We've adopted new standards and we're in touch with the Chamber of Commerce for the Import and Export of Medicine and Health Products to find out about the latest standards and regulations on medicines," he said.

 

Du said he didn't expect safety issues to have much of an impact on his company's turnover at the trade fair.

 

This session of the fair, which opened on Monday, is expected to see more foreign and domestic exhibitors than ever before.

 

A total of 14,574 mainland companies will showcase their products during the latter two phases of the fair, and 107 firms from Taiwan and 49 from Hong Kong will attend the fair.

 

The first phase of the fair, which runs until October 20, will see 480 overseas exhibitors from 57 countries and regions seeking business opportunities in China.

 

(China Daily October 19, 2007)