To accelerate a specialized, international, brand-based and information-based development of the exhibition industry to better serve the overall economic and social development of the province, the People’s Government of Guangdong recently released the Implementation Plan of Guangdong Province to Further Promote Reform and Development of Exhibition Industry (hereinafter referred to as the Plan) , requiring that, by 2020, an industrial system featuring optimized structure, integrated functions, solid foundation and balanced development should have been basically established for the exhibition sector.

 

In terms of the development modes of the exhibition industry, the Plan proposes to enhance the application of Cloud computing, big data, Internet of Things and mobile Internet in the exhibition industry, explore new business modes based on integration of on-line and off-line exhibitions, promote the interaction between virtual and real exhibitions, and expand scale of on-line transactions.

 

Guangdong province will provide support for all kinds of exhibitions to expand their business scope and propel the transformation from focus on trade in goods to equal focus on both trade in services and trade in technology, from focus on trade to comprehensive operations, and from focus on cross-border trade to combination of domestic and foreign trade. It will guide the sponsors and organizers of import exhibitions and specialized exhibitions to attract more international exhibitors, allow the exhibitions to play a bigger role in driving import and realize the transformation from focus on export to equal focus on both import and export.

 

To make the exhibitions better meet the international norms, the Plan proposes to enhance the communication and cooperation with the exhibition circles of the western developed countries and promote an innovative development of platforms for exchange and cooperation in foreign trade. Support will be provided to establish international exhibition groups with mixed ownership by using state-owned and private capitals to foster a number of leading exhibition enterprises with strong competitiveness home and abroad. Great efforts will be made to expand the exhibition markets of the countries along “the Belt and Road” and related emerging markets and establish investment promotion platforms in major cities and regions of related countries to release information about exhibitions to be held in Guangdong and collect information about international exhibitions.

 

To optimize the planning and layout of exhibitions, the Plan requires that scientific positioning and integrated development plans should be made according to the industrial foundation and resources of different areas for the development of the exhibition industry to avoid repeated construction of exhibition venues and blind investment. Construction of supporting facilities for the exhibition venues should be promoted for an integrated development of the exhibition venues and their surrounding areas.

 

In addition, to further facilitate customs clearance of exhibits, the Plan proposes to improve the efficiency of customs clearance of exhibits by providing service for making an appointment 24 hours in advance for the customs clearance of imported or exported exhibits and accelerating the clearance process in accordance with relevant regulations. The proposals also include: guiding and assisting key exhibition enterprises to become high-credit enterprises recognized by the customs; copying the innovative practices for customs supervision in the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone and relying on the special customs supervision area and the bonded logistics center (B-type) of Guangdong to greatly develop bonded exhibitions and trade; repeatedly applying policies on bonded warehousing to exhibits displayed at different time in different areas directly under the same customs district.

 

Source: Translated from Invest Guangzhou, April 19, 2016