Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre

Ministry of Agriculture

November 2, 2011

The 16th China Fisheries and Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao on 1 November 2011. China’s vice agriculture minister Niu Dun, vice governor of Shandong Province Jia Wanzhi and vice mayor of Qingdao Xu Zhenxi attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks. The president of the Agricultural Sub-branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade or the Agricultural Trade Promotion Centre (ATPC) and the former vice minister of agriculture Wan Baorui declared the opening of the expo.

Nearly 900 companies from 39 countries and regions participated in the trade show. It registered an exhibition area of 420 000 m2 . The first day saw some 10 000 purchasers, traders and professionals from over 80 countries coming to the expo. It is the largest one in terms of size and numbers of visitors.

In his opening remarks, Niu said that as a major fishery producer and trader, China’s fisheries have registered a fast and steady development. Fishery expo has become a platform for production, trade and cooperation in this field. The present expo will promote further development of aquatic industry in the country as well as technical exchange and cooperation with other countries.

It is the fifteenth fisheries and seafood expo that is hosted by ATPC and co-hosted by the Sea Fare Expositions Inc USA. This expo, the second largest one, is one the three major fisheries’ exhibitions in the world. The other two are Russell Fishery Exhibition and Boston Fishery Exhibition.

On the occasion were senior officials from Chinese government departments concerned, and Keith Ashfield Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Ambassador Kristin A. Arnadottir of Iceland.