摘要：Stepping into the Shanghai office of Swiss Centers, one is greeted by displays showcasing products from over 40 Swiss enterprises,

转自：中国国际进口博览会

Stepping into the Shanghai office of Swiss Centers, one is greeted by displays showcasing products from over 40 Swiss enterprises, the majority of which were exhibited at the CIIE.

"For us, the CIIE represents a tale of success," remarked Jean-Jacques de Dardel, chairman of the board at Swiss Centers and former Swiss Ambassador to China. He views the CIIE as a vital platform for deepening economic and trade cooperation between Switzerland and China, acting as an "amplifier" to bolster Swiss companies' capabilities in expanding into the Chinese market.

As the official Swiss organization for group exhibitions, Swiss Centers has not only been a consistent participant in the previous seven editions of the CIIE but has gradually evolved into a guiding force for Swiss enterprises seeking entry into the Chinese market.

Each year, it assists numerous Swiss companies, particularly SMEs, in showcasing their goods, promoting their brands, and seeking business partners in the Chinese market. It can be said that Swiss Centers has witnessed a complete journey of increasing awareness and satisfaction among Swiss companies towards the CIIE. To date, the center has facilitated the participation of over 100 Swiss enterprises in the CIIE.

The booth of Swiss Centers at the CIIE. Source: Swiss Centers

Swiss Centers' CEO Xiao Zhen has been deeply impressed by this journey. At the inaugural CIIE, Switzerland had only leading companies like Roche and ABB exhibiting independently, while many Swiss small and medium-sized enterprises remained cautious about this nascent trade expo.

By the time the second CIIE was being prepared, Swiss Centers began to drive innovation by creating joint booths in the Food and Agricultural Products and Consumer Goods exhibition areas.

This collaborative showcasing approach quickly turned the tide, with 16 Swiss brands jointly participating, propelling Swiss specialties like chocolates and wines into the limelight.

Products like Swiss Army knives and Swiss watches enjoy high visibility in China, with Swiss manufacturing gradually establishing a reputation for high quality in the minds of Chinese consumers. At each year's CIIE, the Swiss Pavilion prominently features the core IP concept of "Swiss Made".

In Xiao's view, as the sole expo where Swiss Centers organizes Swiss companies to participate in China, the CIIE is indeed a crucial platform for conveying this core IP concept.

"Swiss companies now possess a clearer understanding of the CIIE, recognizing it as the prime gateway to the Chinese market, facilitating connections with buyers, suppliers, and distributors worldwide. In just six days, they can swiftly gather a wide range of feedback," stated Xiao.

"Many years ago, the only Swiss product familiar to Chinese consumers was the Swiss Army Knife. Today, more Swiss products are making their way to China through the CIIE. This pear liqueur was once showcased. It enjoys high renown in Switzerland," explained Guillaume Muriset, customer success manager at Swiss Centers, fluently in Chinese. He admitted that his proficiency in Chinese has rapidly improved thanks to the CIIE.

Guillaume Muriset, customer success manager at Swiss Centers

The role of "customer success manager" can be regarded as a new position established by Swiss Centers for the CIIE. This position was created in 2024, with Muriset being the first appointee. As the name suggests, a customer success manager assists Swiss enterprises in achieving success right from their initial steps into the Chinese market.

Prior to assuming this role, Muriset worked at the Swiss Embassy in China, primarily gaining insights into China from cultural and diplomatic perspectives. Upon relocating to Shanghai, he acknowledged that he was reacquainting himself with China from an economic standpoint.

Upon assuming his new role, Muriset's primary task was to participate in the CIIE. His initial impression of the event was that it was large in scale and highly efficient. He was particularly intrigued by the fact that, thanks to the CIIE, the time for new Swiss products to enter the Chinese market had shortened from 12 months to just three months. Muriset remarked, "This showcases the vibrant business environment in China to Swiss companies, sparking their keen interest".

Leveraging the CIIE, Swiss Centers is establishing an accelerated access channel for Swiss wine brands in the Chinese market, offering comprehensive professional support from regulatory compliance to channel establishment. Since 2021, Swiss Centers has been consistently creating a "Swiss wine promotion corner" at the CIIE, aiming to enhance its penetration in high-end consumption scenarios in China.

Through conversations with clients, Muriset learned that the CIIE offers business opportunities to enterprises at various stages of development in China. "Companies attending the CIIE for the first time seek to understand the Chinese market and assess if their products resonate here, while those with repeated attendance aim to enhance their brand image, establish more partnerships and find more distributors," Muriset explained.

From assisting four Swiss companies in participating in the inaugural CIIE to showcasing a record-breaking presence at the 7th edition with 24 exhibitors, 34 brands, and a 270-square-meter booth, the breadth of Swiss companies' participation in the CIIE continues to expand with the support of Swiss Centers.

After their initial participation in the CIIE, Swiss Centers established a Business Development Department specifically catering to Swiss companies in the consumer goods industry. "Among the clients we serve, a large portion are CIIE exhibitors, and their numbers are increasing," said Jin Yu, general manager of Swiss Centers in China.

Businessmen talk at a Swiss booth at the CIIE. Source: Swiss Centers

Jin emphasized that the CIIE provides Swiss brands with opportunities to test products, expand sales channels, and enter the Chinese market. Consequently, Swiss enterprises exhibit a high level of enthusiasm. "In addition to the layout in the Food and Agricultural Products and Consumer Goods exhibition areas from previous years, in 2024, Swiss Centers, for the first time, established joint booths in the Innovation Incubation Special Section at the CIIE, where 14 medical technology companies showcased their innovative products and technologies".

This strategic planning aims to address the needs of numerous Swiss startups seeking entry into the Chinese market. "Switzerland has ranked first in the Global Innovation Index for 14 consecutive years. We hope these innovative technologies can take root in China, aligning with the rapid development of China's science and technology industry," Jin stated.

Participating Swiss startups not only engaged with investors, research institutions, and partners but also explored potential business collaborations among themselves at the Innovation Incubation Special Section, said Jin.

As the curtains closed on the 7th CIIE, the Chinese phrase "Full of New Expectations, Opportunities Abound in All Directions" has become a slogan that Guillaume Muriset can readily articulate. Century-old Swiss brands are rejuvenated, and Swiss startups find rare opportunities for development here. As Muriset remarked, Swiss-Chinese economic and trade cooperation will not cease. On the stage of the CIIE, where the show never ends, the Chinese story of Swiss enterprises is unfolding a new chapter.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is compiled from materials provided by CIIE exhibitors and authoritative media reports, with the CIIE Bureau objectively compiling relevant content. The CIIE Bureau does not take responsibility for disputes or losses arising from the following circumstances: deviations in expression due to outdated information updates; readers' subjective judgments or actions based on this article; unauthorized alteration or dissemination of the content by third parties.

来源：新浪财经