Made-in-Rwanda products, including coffee, tea, chili, honey and handicrafts, will be showcased at the upcoming China Import and Export Fair, scheduled for May 1 to 5, one of China’s oldest international trade exhibitions. The fair will also present investment opportunities. ALSO READ: Rwanda ‘hopes for stronger foothold’ in Chinese market The Canton Fair, organised by the China Foreign Trade Centre, has long promoted trade and investment while connecting Chinese manufacturers with buyers and business partners from around the world. Rwanda’s Ambassador to China, James Kimonyo, said the fair offers practical value for Rwanda, noting that it provides exposure to the latest Chinese technologies, machinery and products that can help boost the country’s industrial development. ALSO READ: Rwanda-China trade doubles as exports to China increase fivefold He added that the exhibition also serves as a strong platform to attract Chinese investors and an effective avenue to present Rwanda’s offerings to Chinese trading companies, particularly those engaged in agricultural products. The ambassador encouraged Rwandan businesspeople to participate in the exhibition, noting that it is an excellent platform to connect with reliable Chinese partners. The Chairperson of the Rwandan Community in Guangzhou, Leon Ngiruwonsanga, said members are ready to facilitate Rwandan businesspeople attending the fair, whether they are coming to source Chinese products or to showcase their own goods and seek buyers. Divine Ndayikunda, a representative of Rwanda Farmers Coffee Company Ltd, said the company has been exporting specialty-grade Arabica coffee to China for many years. “Our focus is on sustainably grown beans sourced from smallholder farmers, and we also supply roasted coffee for international buyers. We began exporting to China around 2018, starting with small trial shipments to roasters in Shanghai and Shenzhen,” she told The New Times. Ndayikunda explained that the company has participated in four China expos since 2019, including this year, when it plans to attend the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in October. She noted that the expo has become an important platform for connecting with Chinese importers and café owners. “Participating in the expo and working with the Chinese market has been a game-changer. Through it, we have doubled our export volume to China over the past two years. The Chinese market’s growing appetite for premium single-origin coffee has also encouraged us to invest in better traceability and packaging designed to local preferences,” she said. The coffee exporter noted that the expo provides invaluable face-to-face feedback and networking opportunities that are not easily available online. In recent years, Rwanda has participated in several trade and investment events in China, including CIIE and the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE). These engagements have contributed to an increase in Rwanda’s exports to China, as well as growing Chinese investment, with China now ranking among the leading sources of foreign direct investment in the country.
