REPRESENTING German retail giant Metro AG, Vladislav Vladislavov recently arrived in Guangzhou to join the 134th Canton Fair, so as to meet with old partners and find new suppliers.

As the head of EU Sourcing Non Food & Sourcing General Needs at Metro Sourcing, Vladislavov is responsible for seekking a wide range of products at the fair, such as shelves, lights and kitchen products.

“I will also take this chance to see some new trends, collect business cards from suppliers and share them with my colleagues who have not managed to come here,” he said.

The Canton Fair is running from Oct. 15 to Nov. 4, with participation from over 28,000 exhibitors, including 650 companies from 43 countries and regions. The fair has also attracted buyers from over 200 countries and regions around the world.

“It’s not only a place to meet Chinese suppliers, but also producers from other countries,” Vladislavov said.

“The fair is already a meeting place for the whole world. It also has a big section for exhibitors from other countries, such as Türkiye, India and Malaysia.”

He said Metro has sent around 50 people to source products at this session of the fair.

Vladislavov ‘s other mission in China is to visit the factories of some Chinese suppliers.

The company puts great emphasis on quality, and China has a lot of quality products to offer, he said.

“Many of the Chinese factories are quite modern now,” he said. In past decades, he has noticed that Chinese manufacturers have been developing rapidly.

At the same time, the factories have also been drawing an increasingly good balance between being productive and environmentally friendly, he said. “The Chinese factories have always been a preferred source for us.” (Xinhua)