The East China Fair (ECF), the largest regional trade fair held annually in China, launched its 30th session at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center on July 13.

The fair is supported by the Ministry of Commerce and co-organized by nine provinces and cities including Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Shandong, Nanjing, and Ningbo. Among this year's participants are a total of 1,292 Zhejiang-based enterprises affiliated with the Zhejiang Trade Mission, the Hangzhou Trade Mission, and the Ningbo Trade Mission, representing 36.7 percent of all ECF exhibitors.

This year's fair provides 24-hour online foreign trade platform services with five professional sub-exhibitions for clothing and garment accessories, home textiles and fabric, household products, decorations and gifts, and modern lifestyle products.

The fair also includes four business matchmaking sessions, where exhibitors and buyers can hold one-on-one video negotiations during the exhibition.

A large number of well-known Zhejiang exporters are also attending the fair. Among them are Jiaxing Mengdi Import & Export Co, a knitwear manufacturer for around 80 high-end clothing brands in Europe and North America, and Yiwu Ruishida Umbrella Co, which has registered trademarks for 20 types of products in more than 100 countries.

During the fair's opening ceremony, exhibitors who have taken part in more than 15 ECF sessions were named "ECF honored exhibitors". Among them were three Zhejiang-based companies: Zhejiang Native Produce & Animal By-Products I/E Group, Zhejiang Jiaxin Silk Corporation, and Zhumei Group.

Exhibitors who have taken part in more than 15 ECF sessions are named "ECF honored exhibitors". [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]