As travel resumes following the end of Zero Covid in China, marked by the elimination of quarantine restrictions on January 8th , 2023, FAS has already assisted with four reverse trade missions to the United States to rebuild connections between Chinese buyers and US exporters.
In 2023, FAS China-assisted reverse trade missions visited four different trade shows including the Great American Beer Festival, Natural Expo East, American Food and Beverage Show, and the Global Pet Food Expo. In total, more than 31 buyers attended trade shows, engaged in one-on-one meetings with industry representatives (manufacturers, distributors, exporters, etc.), and developed crucial contacts for future purchases.
During the nearly three years without international travel, Chinese importers continued to express a need to re-establish ties. Some, however, decided to pivot to different products to keep up with a changing market. Aside from attending trade shows, FAS China continues to help Chinese buyers and agriculture industry members visit trade shows and events in the United States.
Chinese agricultural industry representatives have been going to the United States in large numbers to attend U.S. conferences and tours such as the World Dairy Expo, swine tours, and a soybean and feed grain tour. Recently, a large delegation of Chinese officials attended the World Food Prize in Iowa, where they signed several purchasing commitments for U.S. soy.
Source: https://apps.fas.usda.gov