A trade fair in the southern Chinese city of Nanning has become a testing ground for exporters shifting their focus to Southeast Asia.
Attracted by the region’s fast-growing economies and young consumers – and facing slowing demand in the West – many Chinese companies see the annual event as a potential gateway to court buyers and expand their overseas footprints.
Li Wenqi, a manager at an electric scooter and battery manufacturer in Jiangxi province, is among the exporters seeking new opportunities this year. His company has long relied on the European and American markets, but he said they were reaching their limits.
“The West is close to saturation, the Middle East is plagued by wars, and the world is only so big,” he said. “Southeast Asia, with its large population, offers huge potential.”
