STORY: Syrian businesses hail China's import expo as key to expanding in Chinese market
SHOOTING TIME: Dec. 12, 2023
DATELINE: Dec. 13, 2023
LENGTH: 0:04:05
LOCATION: Damascus
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of BioCham Farm and Factory 
2. various of BioCham shop  
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (ENGLISH): ROULA ALI ADEEB, Founder of BioCham Company 
4. Roula browsing her photos at CIIE 
5. SOUNDBITE 2 (ENGLISH): ROULA ALI ADEEB, Founder of BioCham Company  
6. Hussam al-Asadi browsing the photos at CIIE 
7. various of olives and oil pressing process (shooting time: November 2022)
8. various of Syrian olive oil company office 
9. SOUNDBITE 3 (ARABIC): HUSSAM AL-ASADI, Head export manager of the Syrian Olive Oil Company
10. various of al-Asadi browsing the photos at CIIE 
11. SOUNDBITE 4 (ARABIC): HUSSAM AL-ASADI, Head export manager of the Syrian Olive Oil Company

STORYLINE:

For Syrian businesses, searching for new markets amid the Western economic restrictions was a necessity to stay up and running.

The Chinese market is one of the best options for many.

And with the China International Import Export (CIIE), the sixth edition of which concluded in November in Shanghai, Syrian businesses have been provided with an opportunity to tap into the vast Chinese market.

Roula Ali Adeeb, founder of BioCham Company for natural oil extracts, has taken part in all six editions of the CIIE.

Speaking to Xinhua about her experience, particularly after participating in the latest CIIE last month, she said the CIIE is a chance to learn more about China and the Chinese market.

At her shop in the Sha'alan bustling market in Damascus, Adeeb said she is now ready to enter the Chinese market in full swing.

SOUNDBITE 1 (ENGLISH): ROULA ALI ADEEB, Founder of BioCham Company 
"Every time going to the CIIE, it's another experience, another learning how to deal with the Chinese market, how to expand in the Chinese market. This time I was able to learn more and more about the Chinese people what they like and what they don't like. I really look forward and am ready to go full strength into the Chinese market after this trip."

Speaking of her impression of the expo this year, Adeeb said she was filled with hope now that her products and brand could have become well-recognized in China.

SOUNDBITE 2 (ENGLISH): ROULA ALI ADEEB, Founder of BioCham Company 
"It was really nice to be recognized and to be in such a big country. People coming to the expo and seeing BioCham and recognizing the trademark, that was so satisfying."

Hussam al-Asadi, the export manager of an olive oil company, said that Syrian olive oil has a promising future in the Chinese market.

He said the company he works for is hoping to have a solid footprint in the Chinese market in the future.

SOUNDBITE 3 (ARABIC): HUSSAM AL-ASADI, Head export manager of the Syrian Olive Oil Company
"It was a significant expo, particularly for us as a Syrian company working in the olive oil industry. Frankly, olive oil is an essential product, and in China, people are very interested in this material because Chinese people know its benefits and the consumption has increased to about 60,000 tons per year. We hope that we have a good share of that market."

Speaking about his experience at the CIIE, al-Asadi said that the Syrian Oil Company had never exported its products to China before 2018 when the first CIIE was held.

SOUNDBITE 4 (ARABIC): HUSSAM AL-ASADI, Head export manager of the Syrian Olive Oil Company
"Frankly, we didn't export our product to China before the first version of the expo in 2018. In that year, we began to get to know customers in China, and thankfully we managed to secure a few customers over there, and we started exporting to China. At first, the quantity was small, but it increased over time. In 2023, we have secured new customers. We are in constant contact, but there are some issues regarding the export procedures and the low olive oil production this year. We hope that production will increase."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Damascus.
(XHTV)