Middle East's most specialized exhibitions of China-made products opened today to boost trade between China and the MENA region

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, May 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Sources (NASDAQ: GSOL) opened its seventh annual China Sourcing Fairs in Dubai today to help boost trade between China and the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region. The events are running May 28-30, 2013, at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre. Combined, the Fairs are:

• China Sourcing Fair: Electronics
• China Sourcing Fair: Gifts & Premiums
• China Sourcing Fair: Home Products
• China Sourcing Fair: Hardware & Building Materials

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20030303/LNM011LOGO-b )

"China's relationship with the Middle East is becoming increasingly important," said Tommy Wong, President of Global Sources Exhibitions. "This is true in terms of diplomatic relations and of course, business."

Bilateral trade between China and the Middle East is forecast to reach US$300 billion by 2014, according to United Arab Emirates Minister for Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi. Trade between China and the UAE grew 10 percent in 2011 -- a fivefold increase in less than a decade. "We believe the China Sourcing Fairs play a key role in delivering quality consumer products to the regions' distribution channels," added Wong.

"This is the seventh year we have hosted the China Sourcing Fairs in Dubai. Over the years we have gained a great understanding of the type of products that buyers in this region are looking for. With that in mind, this year, we have been able to focus the events on four core product categories -- consumer electronics, gifts & premiums, home products, and hardware & building materials -- to make the combined exhibitions more focused and beneficial for both the visitors attending and the exhibitors participating," said Wong.

Officially opening the events was H.E. Raja Al Gurg, President, Dubai Business Women's Council. Also joining the opening ceremony were:

• Zhan Jingbao, Consul General, Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai
• Zhang Yi, Commercial Counselor, Economic & Commercial Section, Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Dubai
• Tommy Wong, President of Global Sources Exhibitions

The China Sourcing Fairs are exclusively for importers, traders, and other volume buyers who purchase consumer products for resale to markets throughout the MENA region. Last year, 12,680 qualified buyers from 111 countries attended the event.

More details about the China Sourcing Fairs in Dubai are available at http://www.chinasourcingfair.com/dubai.

For more information about Global Sources, please visit our corporate site (http://www.corporate.globalsources.com). You can also view our latest developments on Facebook and Twitter (/globalsources).

About Global Sources

Global Sources is a leading business-to-business media company and a primary facilitator of trade with Greater China.

The core business facilitates trade between Asia and the world using English-language media such as online marketplaces (GlobalSources.com), print and digital magazines, sourcing research reports, private sourcing events, trade shows, and online sourcing fairs.

More than 1 million international buyers, including 95 of the world's top 100 retailers, use these services to obtain product and company information to help them source more profitably from overseas supply markets. These services also provide suppliers with integrated marketing solutions to build corporate image, generate sales leads and win orders from buyers in more than 240 countries and territories.

Global Sources' other businesses provide Chinese-language media to companies selling to and within Greater China. These services include online web sites, print and digital magazines, seminars and trade shows. In mainland China, Global Sources has a network of more than 30 office locations and a community of more than 4 million registered online users and magazine readers of its Chinese-language media.

Now in its fifth decade, Global Sources has been publicly listed on the NASDAQ since 2000.

SOURCE Global Sources