Registrations up 22 percent: thousands of African buyers expected to attend Global Sources' China Sourcing Fair in Johannesburg

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of professional buyers are expected to join Global Sources' (NASDAQ: GSOL) fifth annual China Sourcing Fair today in Johannesburg. Featuring the latest high-quality products from Greater China and other Asian countries, the Fair offers African importers the chance to deal face-to-face with suppliers who are highly motivated to do business in the region.

Running through Nov. 15 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec, the Fair will feature electronics, fashion accessories, garments and textiles, gifts and premiums, hardware and building materials and home products across 600 booths.

The event attracted more than 8,500 buyers last year. This year, registrations for the Fair grew 22 percent. "With the surge we have experienced in pre-registrations for the show, we are optimistic for a record turnout of buyers this year," said Tommy Wong, President of Global Sources Exhibitions. "China has been Africa's largest trading partner for five consecutive years, with business growing to US$210 billion in 2013, up from US$166 billion in 2011. The success of our show reflects that trend."

Wong also pointed out that sustained demand in Africa for quality goods from China is fueled by Africa's expanding middle class. "Global Sources is perfectly positioned to facilitate this accelerating trade relationship, not only with this annual sourcing event held in Africa's most economically advanced country, but also with our online suite of buyer-supplier services."

A key complimentary service offered by Global Sources at the Fair is an informative conference program titled "How to Source from China" which provides insights and advice on importing from China. Added to the program this year will be a presentation from the West Rand Chamber of Commerce on how to better understand and successfully navigate local South African government regulations on importing.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to officially open the show today. Among those in attendance were:

• Sun Dali, Consul General, Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Johannesburg
• Mai Jiaomeng, Mayor, Huizhou Municipal People's Government, the People's Republic of China
• Huang Yukun, Deputy Counsel, Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province
• Wendy Lai, Vice President, Global Sources Exhibitions

Underscoring the emergence of Africa as a key trading partner with China, the China Sourcing Fair in Johannesburg is supported by many provincial and municipal governments of mainland China, as well as other organizations, including:

• Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province
• Bureau of Commerce of Huizhou Municipality
• Bureau of Commerce of Shantou City
• Jiangmen Bureau of Commerce
• Bureau of Commerce of Jieyang City
• Bureau of Commerce of Zhuhai City
• Bureau of Commerce of Foshan City
• Bureau of Commerce of Zhaoqing City
• China Foreign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition General Corporation
• Shenzhen Promotion Association for Small & Medium Enterprises
• Foshan Electronic Information Industrial Association

Returning to the event this year is the exclusive "Africa Business Awards" which will feature two exclusive prizes for local business: a round-trip airline ticket to attend the China Sourcing Fairs in Hong Kong in April 2015, and a Rand 30,000 cash prize to be used for business investment and expansion.

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

To learn more about Global Sources, please visit our corporate website (http://www.corporate.globalsources.com), Facebook or 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, and trade shows.

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 5 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.

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