Introducing high-quality Huaihua products to the world
—An overview of the Hunan (Huaihua) RCEP Economic, Trade and Investment and Characteristic Foreign Trade Industry Supply and Demand Matching Conference
In early summer, Huaihua is overflowing with vigor and boasts a galaxy of distinguished guests.
From May 12 to 13, the Hunan (Huaihua) RCEP Economic, Trade and Investment and Characteristic Foreign Trade Industry Supply and Demand Matching Conference was held as scheduled. More than 300 guests from over 30 countries traveled across mountains and seas to attend this summer event.
The Wushui River flows ceaselessly, day and night. In today’s Huaihua, international logistics channels are delivering high-quality products from remote mountains to all parts of the world. As the gantry cranes at Huaihua International Land Port rise and lower, seven international logistics channels have been connected to 238 ports and stations, fulfilling the commitment of “access to rivers and seas within 30 hours and direct access to ASEAN countries within three days” and laying the foundation for Huaihua to trade globally.
Precise matchmaking: From exhibition to trade
Precision is the key word of this matchmaking conference.
Let’s turn the clock back to May 2023, when the First Hunan (Huaihua) RCEP Economic and Trade Expo was held. The stunning expo attracted over 1,600 enterprises from 15 countries and successfully introduced Huaihua to the world.
In May 2025, the Second Hunan (Huaihua) RCEP Economic and Trade Expo took place, bringing together over 1,000 enterprises from 15 countries and more than 20 Chinese provinces and cities, with on-site transactions of RMB130 million and order placements of RMB910 million achieved.
Now, this trade and economic event, themed “Deepening Regional Integration and Creating Sustainable Prosperity”, is writing a new chapter, outlining a clear trajectory for Huaihua’s accelerated transformation from an inland hinterland to a hub for opening up.
Unlike traditional matchmaking conferences that target a broad audience, this event features precise engagement and focuses more on facilitating trade cooperation.
Prior to the conference, with the support of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Commercial Sub-council and China-ASEAN Industrial Cooperation and Development Promotion Association, the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, CCPIT Hunan Sub-council and the People’s Government of Huaihua City jointly reviewed the information on over 150 key enterprises and more than 500 products, compiled the Directory of Huaihua Enterprises Going Global and the Directory of Enterprises for Cooperation Negotiation based on Huaihua’s existing characteristic products and industries, and promoted demand pre-matching among domestic and foreign chambers of commerce and associations, global buyers, and over 50 local enterprises.
To encourage more overseas merchants to come to Huaihua, establish business presence and seek effective cooperation, CPC Huaihua Municipal Committee and the People’s Government of Huaihua City have rallied the support of the entire city to serve cooperation and exchanges. For example, some enterprises did not understand RCEP rules. To address this pain point, CCPIT Huaihua organized specialized training in advance and transformed the complex rules of origin, tariff reductions, and trade facilitation measures into practical guidelines that are operable and beneficial to enterprises.
From the venue itself to the display of characteristic products, from bilingual guidance to customized services, Huaihua’s hospitality can be seen in every detail, making every guest feel at home.
Mohamed Akayldiz, a Turkish merchant, reached a procurement intention during his first visit to Huaihua. He said, “Huaihua is a lush and green city with well-organized services and boasts distinct advantages in customized services for electronic products.”
Openness, warmth, and professionalism—this is the impression Huaihua leaves on the world.
The conference features three carefully designed inspection routes that cover logistics channels such as the Huaihua International Land Port as well as characteristic industries like bag & leatherware, TCM, and cultural tourism. Domestic and overseas merchants could not only view samples in the exhibition area but also visit factories. This approach made supply and demand matchmaking tangible and accessible.
High-quality products from remote mountains: Delivering Huaihua products to all parts of the world
The matchmaking conference served as a window and a bridge. At this grand event, global merchants achieved mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
Prior to the conference, 30 international buyers from 17 countries, including Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey, Germany, Russia, Sweden, and Egypt, brought intended orders totaling USD11.9 million (approximately RMB79.33 million).
Among these, food, electronic products, bags and luggage, and sporting goods buyers accounted for 26.5%, 24.5%, 18.4%, and 14.3%, respectively. The ordered products precisely matched Huaihua’s “5+10” modern industrial system.
The matchmaking conference was filled with splendid moments.
Beside the venue were four exhibition areas for bags and suitcases, the bamboo industry, TCM, and ASEAN products. Over 200 products from nearly 60 enterprises were available for global merchants.
Koirala Suresh, a Nepalese buyer, exclaimed after tasting Jietan tea, “Pretty good!”
Ayman Saad, an Egyptian buyer, directly rode on a Huaihua-made suitcase and scooted around. Ayman kept saying, “We really need it.”
Mohamed Hassan Ahmed Amin, an international buyer, tasted sealwort on the site and exclaimed, “Very good!”
Such praises could be heard all around the venue. Gestures and smiles transcended language and cultural barriers. The high-quality products from remote mountains were recognized by these appreciative buyers.
The event welcomed guests from all over the world and aimed for global benefit. Various high-quality products from remote mountains continuously attracted the attention of global merchants. At the matchmaking conference, the total intended purchase amount surged from nearly RMB80 million before the event to RMB211 million.
These figures indicate the deep connection between Huaihua’s characteristic products and the international market.
So, which high-quality Huaihua products have gone global? Where have they gone?
The suitcases, backpacks, and accessories produced in a one-stop manner in Huaihua’s industrial park are being shipped to Libya, Sweden, Egypt, and Bolivia.
Bluetooth headsets, smart speakers, power banks, and projection devices are precisely tailored to the needs of international markets such as Turkey, Germany, Lebanon, and Pakistan.
Bamboo household supplies and handicrafts are favored by foreign buyers from Pakistan, Jordan, Russia, and India.
International merchants from Egypt, Russia, Iran, and Nepal have placed large orders for snack food and agricultural and sideline processed food ...
Thanks to the international logistics channels, the mountains, rivers, workshops, and fields of Huaihua are becoming increasingly interconnected with the world.
No longer limited to piecemeal transactions, Huaihua products are introduced to the world in a systematic, chain-based manner.
Planning for the future: Bringing the benefits of opening up to the world
A matchmaking conference is far more than just a stack of orders. Its most important role is to build an economic and trade cooperation system, forge bonds between sister cities, and upgrade the buyer-seller relationship to an industrial community.
At the matchmaking conference, Shen Yumou, Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Director General of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, said that Huaihua shoulders the historical responsibility of developing itself into a gateway city for building the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and the only ASEAN freight assembly center in Hunan Province. The city is embracing ASEAN and connecting with the world with unprecedented enthusiasm. Leveraging the RCEP Economic and Trade Expo, Hunan will form a tight-knit channel net, promote industrial collaboration, optimize the trade ecosystem, and strengthen mechanism development, thereby pushing Hunan’s cooperation with ASEAN to new heights.
New heights represent new opportunities. The trade relations between Huaihua and ASEAN involve not only product export but also industry introduction; not only economic and trade exchanges but also robust supporting mechanisms; and not only government-led initiatives but also tangible benefits for the people.
So, what aspects of bilateral cooperation have been deepened?
—Channel upgrading. With Huaihua International Land Port as the core, Huaihua has deepened collaboration with the Beibu Gulf Port in Guangxi and expanded the scale of rail-sea intermodal trains. The city has actively integrated into the China-Europe Railway Express (Changsha) system and achieved “one-time declaration, inspection, and release”, providing more efficient logistics services for import and export enterprises at a lower cost.
—Industrial collaboration. Huaihua has supported its bag & leatherware industry and the processing trade parks in Vietnam and Thailand in conducting cooperation featuring “front shop, back factory”; established the ASEAN Agricultural Product Inbound Processing Zone at Huaihua International Land Port, focusing on products such as Lao bananas, Cambodian mangoes, and Myanmar mung beans; supported the Huaihua hardware industrial cluster in meeting the needs of Indonesia in constructing its new capital; and promoted the entry of western Hunan bamboo and wood products and environmentally friendly tableware into retail outlets in the Philippines and Indonesia.
—Trade optimization. At the conference, a “one country, one policy” strategy was proposed targeting ASEAN countries. For Vietnam and Thailand, the conference called for intensifying cold chain train operation, launching dedicated agricultural product trains between Huaihua and Hanoi and between Huaihua and Bangkok, and promoting the “two-way cold chain express line” for Hunan citrus, vegetables, and pork products as well as ASEAN fruits. For Laos and Cambodia, the conference called for expanding the “railway express” model of the China-Laos freight train service and supporting enterprises in establishing overseas warehouses and agricultural product distribution centers along the line. For Malaysia and Indonesia, the conference called for exploring the “cross-border e-commerce + industrial belt” model, launching the “High-quality Hunan Products” zone on Shopee and Lazada, and focusing on promoting Huaihua bags and suitcases, Shaodong hardware, Liling ceramics and Anhua black tea, among other characteristic products.
—Mechanism improvement. The conference called for establishing provincial-level economic and trade cooperation working groups with Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand in the first place and promoting the establishment of sister city relationships between Huaihua and Champasak Province in Laos and Sihanoukville Province in Cambodia. The conference also called for establishing the Hunan-ASEAN Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center to achieve year-round product display and regular exchanges.
Over the four years, Huaihua has taken solid steps in pursuing ocean-oriented development, as demonstrated by its efforts in launching the spectacular first economic and trade expo, upgrading the second expo, and exerting precise efforts in the 2026 matchmaking conference.
Data shows that from 2022 to 2024, Huaihua’s imports and exports with RCEP member countries grew at an average annual rate of 87.23%, leading the province in terms of import and export growth rate for three consecutive years.
Besides signed contracts and logistics, the fruits of opening up have also benefited ordinary people.
In the past year, the number of bag & suitcase enterprises in Huaihua exceeded 200, creating stable jobs for 18,500 people. The comprehensive output value of the city’s entire TCM industrial chain exceeded RMB34.26 billion, and the planting area ranked first in the province. The comprehensive output value of the city’s bamboo industry reached RMB6 billion, and exports exceeded RMB100 million. Service sectors such as exhibitions, tourism, catering, and accommodation also thrived. The city is becoming more and more vibrant.
The trains whistle, delivering high-quality products to all parts of the world. The merchants travel across seas, enjoying a rewarding journey. The train whistles blend with the sound of the oars on the Wushui River, and the most moving chapter of the story about the opening up of an inland mountain city has just begun.
The mountains and seas will meet, and the future holds even greater promise. Wei Zhaohui, Secretary of CPC Huaihua Municipal Committee, sincerely invites everyone to Huaihua, to become pioneers in the city’s ocean-oriented development, investors in industrial development, partners in regional cooperation, and advocates for this blessed land.
We firmly believe that “Deepening Regional Integration and Creating Sustainable Prosperity” is not only the theme of this matchmaking conference but also a vivid illustration of Huaihua’s future development.
（Translated by Professor Yu Jie）