On May 31^st, the four-day term 15^th Guangzhou International Shoes and Leather Products and Industrial Equipment Exhibition was opened. When domestic and overseas guests were informed in the exhibition that there would be a large-scale shoes and leather products exhibition during the 2^nd CSMEF and Sino-French SMEs Fair (hereinafter referred to as “CSMEF”) which would be held on September 12^th – 15^th in Guangzhou, they all expressed great attention. Practitioners told the journalist, “Though at present shoes “Made in China” have ruled the global market, China still lacks a globally dominant shoes and leather products exhibition which matches its manufacture status.” People predicted that CSMEF, a national level exhibition, would become another platform of larger scale matching the international stage following CECF and bring greater business opportunities to the development of Chinese shoes and leather products industry after China’s accession into the WTO.

On May 26^th, Sino-US Association of Garments and Shoes arrived in Guangzhou. On hearing the news, they expressed to organize US purchase groups to attend the exhibition and make big purchases. The vice chairman of the association said they “keenly wish to bring Sino-US Shoes Technology and Trade Communication Meeting into CSMEF in the next year.” This year’s Sino-US Shoes Technology and Trade Communication Meeting had been held in Dongguan.

Mr. Qiu Xiaoguang, president of Guangdong Association of Shoe Manufacturers, revealed that shoes and leather products section would emphasize on the combination of domestic and foreign trade, to provide a platform for Chinese shoes and leather products enterprises to display their latest products and overall enterprise image, attract agents and processing orders and carry out communications of technology, management and market information to promote the upgrade of China’s shoes and leather products industry, better meet the demand of domestic market, and fully enter into the international market.

At present, China’s annual shoe-making capacity has reached 8 billion pairs, accounting for around 70% of the global productivity. China has jumped to become world’s biggest shoe manufacturer as well as a big shoe exporter.

It is said that shoes and leather products section of CSMEF will have 600 standard stalls covering an area of 10,000 square meters.