ISTANBUL, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The 2019 China Products Fair kicked off in Istanbul on Thursday, drawing more than 300 superior Chinese suppliers and many traders from Turkey and other countries.
The sixth of its kind organized by the municipal government of Hangzhou in China's Zhejiang Province, the fair has grown to be the largest and most professional one in Turkey over the years, according to Hu Wei, a vice mayor of Hangzhou.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Hu described the expo as a practical step in executing the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits as envisioned under the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China.
"The Silk Road and One Belt One Road Initiative is very important for us," said Ismail Gultekin, a deputy governor of Istanbul.
"The meeting of Chinese products with customers through this fair is also very important for us," he said at the opening ceremony. "We attach significant importance to trade relations between the two countries."
Huang Songfeng, the commercial consul from the Chinese consulate general in Istanbul, said the trade disputes initiated by the United States with China have created a "historical opportunity" for Turkey and China to boost trade ties.
The trade show at the Istanbul Expo Centre, a three-day event, is dedicated to home appliances, power and electricity, hardware and tools, textile and garments, household and gifts, building materials, furniture, food as well as machinery in an area of 12,000 square meters.
According to the organizer, the event has drawn more than 10,000 buyers from Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia and other countries.
Mustan Bozkurt, a Turkish businessman from Istanbul, has moved from the construction sector to textile business.
"Now I am trying to find some new products here," he said.
Oleksandr Savytskyi is a member of a Ukrainian business delegation comprising more than 30 people.
"There is a great interest from our business circles in this business event," he said. "We hope for establishing cooperation in new businesses."
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