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A trade delegation from Haining poses for a photo before heading to Kazakhstan. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

A trade delegation from Haining, a county-level city of Jiaxing, in Zhejiang province, including representatives from the warp knitting, home textiles, hosiery, and building materials sectors, departed from Hangzhou International Airport for Kazakhstan on Aug 14. This eight-day trip aims to secure orders and expand market presence in Central Asia.

Haining, a major player in foreign trade, is home to over 2,000 export enterprises, exporting 2,470 types of products to 195 countries and regions. Last year, Haining's exports reached 73.65 billion yuan ($10.28 billion), a 7.8-percent increase, ranking first in Jiaxing and among the top 10 in the province.

In 2023, Haining's exports to Central Asia totaled 642 million yuan, a 37.4-percent increase, with textiles being the primary export. Central Asia offers significant promise compared to the competitive European and American markets.

The delegation will visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, key countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. In the first quarter of this year, Haining's exports to emerging markets exceeded 10.23 billion yuan, growing over 20 percent.

Business leaders, like Cao Yaoqiang of Tianyi Weaving Co Ltd, prepared samples of sofa and curtain fabrics. Had Socks tailored products like sports and thermal socks to local preferences.

Facing increased pressure to stabilize foreign trade, entrepreneurs hope to obtain many orders and new clients during the trip. Uzbekistan's large population presents a promising new market compared to the saturated Southeast Asian market, explained Qian Lingyan, an employee of Had Socks.