An exhibitor shows products to a consumer at the booth of Iranian company Novin Saffron at the 5th China International Import Expo in Shanghai on November 9, 2021. Photo: Courtesy of the exhibitor

More Iranian companies have participated in the 5th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai to promote their products and brands through the platform, as people-to-people exchanges between China and Iran have been connected by the Silk Road since ancient times, an Iranian diplomat said.

Hamid Adeli, a commercial counselor from the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Beijing, told the Global Times that it is his first time to attend the CIIE intensively, but some Iranian companies participated for the fourth time.

A total of 11 companies from Iran attended the expo this year, from the agriculture, consumer goods and healthcare sectors, according to Adeli. "I think that the CIIE is a very good opportunity for Iranian products, for Iranian enterprises to... export to China," Adeli said.

As an official of the trade promotion organization of Iran, Adeli said that the exhibition is the most important platform to promote products.

At the booth of Iranian company Novin Saffron, the exhibitor was busy introducing its saffron products to visitors and exchanging contact information for possible trade after the expo. The person in charge of the booth surnamed Guo told the Global Times that she found more than 100 potential consumers from various regions through the expo. 

"Our products are of high quality, and we want to let more people know this brand," Guo said. One gram of saffron comes from 200 flowers that have to be hand-picked, according to Guo.

Adeli noted that "other countries try to boost their exports, but China is trying to enhance imports," Adeli said, adding that China is trying to do this with two purposes - strengthening international trade and increasing domestic consumption to help economic growth.

"China provides this platform as a public good, and that not only helps China, but also other countries and regions to engage and participate in production in global factories," Adeli said.

Many Iranian companies don't have enough information about this market yet. The CIIE exhibition can give Iranian companies good information and opportunities, Adeli said. He plans to introduce more agricultural products to China such as oranges, tangerines and sweet lemons, as well as citrus, honey and dairy products.