Sourcing conference to draw 2,000 international buyers from 110-plus countries

The 4th Linyi Trade City International Sourcing Conference for Belt and Road Cooperation will run from Oct 28 to 30 at the Linyi International Expo Center, the Linyi municipal government information office said at a press conference on Oct 21.

The event, themed "Linking the world's supermarkets, sourcing global quality goods", is expected to draw more than 2,000 international buyers from over 110 countries and regions across Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East, along with more than 3,000 qualified domestic buyers.

The conference will be held annually at the same time and venue from this year on.

Its programme consists of an opening ceremony on the morning of Oct 28 and three supporting activities: the Linyi Export Commodities Expo, a special session at the Linyi International Product Selection Center, and a precision sourcing matchmaking meeting under the 2026 "Going Global, Connecting the World" programme. Fifteen district-level sessions and buyer inspection tours will also be held.

The export expo will set up 10 product zones and 1,200 standard booths covering machinery, daily consumer goods and other local strengths. Organisers have compiled buyer demand lists in advance, arranged face-to-face talks during the event and will follow up on intended orders afterwards.

A foreign trade service area will bring together nine government departments handling foreign affairs and 35 service providers to offer customs clearance, logistics, accounting, translation, finance and legal services in one place. A mini-program will handle pre-registration and match demand with supply before the event.

The municipal culture and tourism bureau will offer ticket discounts, package deals, local food and intangible cultural heritage experiences, and will take buyers to wholesale markets and scenic spots.

As one of the three supporting activities, the special session at the Linyi International Product Selection Center will display hardware, protective equipment, wood panels and general merchandise in its physical showrooms, with overseas and domestic buyers inspecting samples and holding talks on site.

The centre began formal operations on Sept 28 as a one-stop sourcing venue for production materials. It now hosts 347 companies, of which 90 percent are based in Linyi, 90 percent are source factories and 70 percent combine manufacturing with trading experience in foreign trade.

Editor：韩蒙蒙