Visitors explore the Hong Kong food exhibitions and try specialties at the 7th China International Import Expo in Shanghai on November 6, 2024. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) hopes to continue utilizing the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to promote the expansion of Hong Kong enterprises in the Chinese mainland with better development, Kent Lyu, the regional director of Eastern and Central China of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

This year marks the seventh year for the HKTDC to organize Hong Kong firms to at-tend the expo, with a total of 52 enterprises organized by the council participating, in-cluding 34 enterprises exhibiting in the agriculture and food section and 18 with a pres-ence in the section of trade in services, according to Lyu. 

Specifically, Lyu noted that exhibitors that were showcased in the agriculture and food section during last year's expo achieved overall satisfying results, with some companies getting new orders and clients, and some even staying for an additional time for further cooperation talks. 

Lyu highlighted the enthusiasm for Hong Kong food exhibitors at the expo during the recruitment process, and more visitors have shown up at these booths at this year's expo. 

Lyu said that the council organizes buyers to communicate with Hong Kong exhibitors at the CIIE every year, with more than 400 pre-registration appointments, and some are one-on-one exchanges.

"We believe the CIIE can provide a strong impetus for Hong Kong exhibitors to meet more partners," Lyu said. 

Visitors explore the Hong Kong food exhibitions and try specialties at the 7th China International Import Expo in Shanghai on November 6, 2024. Photo: Chen Xia/GT

Milk tea featuring giant pandas is represented at the 7th CIIE, and the idea came after two giant pandas were gifted by the central government to the HKSAR, Howie Wong, general manager of Kampery, which owns the milk tea brand Kamcha, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

This is the sixth time for the company to participate in the CIIE, and it hopes to find partners nationwide and expand its business, Howie Wong said, adding that the compa-ny has already set up a factory in Foshan, South China's Guangdong Province and a second factory is expected to enter operation in 2025. 

Ken Wong, director of Hong Kong-based All Times Healthy Co, a company dedicated to healthcare products, told the Global Times on Wednesday that he has been participat-ing in the CIIE since it began in 2018. 

Ken Wong said that he has met multiple new clients at every year's expo, and the ma-jority of them have become regular customers. 

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu led a delegation of high-level officials to Shanghai on Tuesday to attend the CIIE and take part in a major promotion event. More than 300 Hong Kong enterprises are participating in this year's CIIE to promote quality Hong Kong products and services, representing almost 10 percent of the total number of exhibitors in the enterprise and business exhibition.