As China's trade with Africa booms, Africa's largest China-products exhibitions return to Johannesburg with over 820 booths

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 30, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Global Sources (NASDAQ: GSOL) today opened its 2nd Annual China Sourcing Fairs in Johannesburg. With more product categories this year filling four exhibition halls, the events are the largest China-products exhibitions ever to be held in Africa. The exhibitions, which feature over 820 exhibitor booths, a 29 percent increase, are to be held November 30 to December 2, 2011, at the Gallagher Convention Centre, Gallagher Estate, Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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"Africa's trade with China is booming," said Tommy Wong, President of Global Sources Exhibitions. "The expansion of our China Sourcing Fairs in Johannesburg is representative of that growth."

China has emerged as Africa's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade growing at an average of 28 percent over the past 10 years, according to China's Ministry of Commerce. Trade between China and Africa is also set to reach record levels this year, as trade volume in the first three quarters of 2011 rose 30 percent year-on-year to reach US$122.2 billion. More than 2,000 Chinese companies invested in Africa by the end of 2010. China itself had invested US$1.08 billion in Africa's non-financial sectors in the first three quarters of 2011, an increase of 87 percent compared to the same period last year.

The China Sourcing Fairs feature manufacturers of consumer electronics, solar and energy-saving products, fashion accessories, garments and textiles, baby and children's products, gifts and premiums, home products, and hardware and building materials. The Fairs are exclusively for importers, traders, and other volume buyers who purchase consumer products for resale to markets throughout Africa.

The China Sourcing Fairs in Johannesburg are supported by important industry associations, including the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SACCI), the Southern African Alternative Energy Association (SAAEA), and the Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA).

Joining Mr. Wong to officially open the China Sourcing Fairs were:

• Mr. Yan Qingwen, Deputy Consul-General, Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Johannesburg
• Mr. Jiang Wei, Economic & Commercial Counsellor, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of South Africa
• Mr. Neren Rau, Chief Executive Officer, South African Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Global Sources' new Online Sourcing Fairs are also a part of the Johannesburg events. Online Sourcing Fairs are online "shows" that enable buyers who are planning to attend the events to learn more about the exhibitors and to plan their sourcing strategies before the shows. The Online Sourcing Fairs also allow buyers who were unable to attend the Fairs to source from these exhibitors online. Each Online Sourcing Fair includes the key components of Global Sources' offline, China Sourcing Fair events, including profiles of exhibitors' featured products, multiple images of the booths, company videos, and conference sessions.

More details about the China Sourcing Fairs in South Africa are available at http://www.chinasourcingfair.com/southafrica.

Learn more about the Online Sourcing Fairs at http://www.onlinesourcingfair.com.

About Global Sources

Global Sources is a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with Greater China.

The core business facilitates trade between Asia and the world using English-language media such as online marketplaces (http://www.globalsources.com), print and digital magazines, sourcing research reports, private sourcing events, trade shows, and online sourcing fairs.

Over 1 million international buyers, including 85 of the world's top 100 retailers, use these services to obtain product and company information to help them source more profitably from overseas supply markets. These services also provide suppliers with integrated marketing solutions to build corporate image, generate sales leads and win orders from buyers in more than 240 countries and territories.

Global Sources' other businesses provides Chinese-language media to companies selling to and within Greater China. These services include online web sites, print and digital magazines, seminars and trade shows. In mainland China, Global Sources has a network of more than 40 office locations and a community of over 3 million registered online users and magazine readers of its Chinese-language media.

Now in its fifth decade, Global Sources has been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2000.

SOURCE Global Sources

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