While much of the world began to open its borders in 2022, China’s strict “COVID-Zero Tolerance” policy and ongoing resurgence of pandemic outbreaks have left us operating in an environment of unforeseeable lockdowns, quarantines and restrictions on travel, including disruptions of supply chains and transportation, providing ongoing uncertainty and challenges for Pacific exporters to China.
The Chinese proverb 殊途同归 (there are many paths to the top of the mountain, but the view is always the same) rang true for the team and me. With the ongoing uncertainty, we took the opportunity to look at alternative ways to support Pacific businesses and improve the livelihoods of the people who call the Pacific home.
Growing our strategic partnerships and building respectful relationships with our key stakeholders has been a pillar of strength in our bid to support Pacific businesses through COVID. For example, at the 22nd China International Fair for Investment & Trade (CIFIT) we jointly hosted with the Solomon Islands Embassy in Beijing to promote our key programs of exports and investments. A Pacific-centric pavilion was designed to highlight a range of Pacific products and investment opportunities, which led to PTI China winning CIFIT’s ‘most creative’ award, selected by the CIFIT organising committee. The PTI China pavilion drew around 10,000 visitors over the four-day show. H.E. John Fugui, Ambassador of Solomon Islands to China, participated in all the trade show activities and meetings with Chinese officials, associations, traders, and media. We also managed to highlight our pavilion, brands, and Pacific products on four of China’s most influential mainstream media channels.
In a highly competitive market, we have also focused our attention on Pacific products that we knew could command a price premium – and that is where the idea of a “Pacific Fashion Night” began to take seed. A Pacific Fashion Night provided the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on the craftsman ship of the Pacific and to position Pacific fashion as a high-end luxury good product. At Pacific Fashion Night we brought together potential Chinese buyers and fashion media in Beijing’s central business district, giving Chinese fashion outlets and fashion media a glimpse of the potential of Pacific fashion and accessories. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with leads generated and, more importantly, awareness and positioning of the Pacific as artisans of high-end products; so much so that we are looking to make this our signature annual event.
Our third effort is to leverage China’s booming digital economy, finding the most suitable platforms to list our Pacific products and capitalising on trading opportunities. We have been studying China’s major digital e-commerce platforms, including Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent, and have established our presence on some of them. For example, PTI China’s social media account on Tencent’s WeChat, has been our major window to showcase Pacific brands and products, as well as Pacific cultures and PTI China’s own branding and profiling. We are also working on a “Mini Program” on WeChat, which, when finished, will be a direct bridge to connect Pacific exporters with potential Chinese buyers.
As we welcome 2023, we can look back with pride at our journey navigating through troubled waters to find the opportunities to support our Blue Pacific home. Of course, all this could not have been possible without the efforts of my Beijing colleagues and the support around us. I believe that when moving forward, one should always focus on one’s internal strengths. We did just that.
I am now looking forward to returning home to the Cook Islands to spend my first Christmas with family and friends after three long years, where I plan to spend my first day on the beach at home with a fresh chilled coconut drink, and will no doubt look back at 2022 and say, “What a year that was!”
Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2023 everyone!
