LINYI, China, Oct. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — “Linyi boasts large-scale specialized markets, a wide range of high-quality and cost-effective products, and flexible, efficient supply capacity — all highly attractive to African buyers,” said Abdulla A Ibrahim Elfrid, vice-president of the Africa-China Association for Cooperation, Development and Investment.
Speaking at the 4th Linyi Trade City International Sourcing Conference, held in Linyi, Shandong province, from Oct 28 to 30, he added that Linyi’s manufacturing strengths align closely with African market demand, and the two sides enjoy enormous cooperation potential.
Featuring the theme “Bridging the world, sourcing global excellence”, the event has brought more than 2,000 overseas buyers from over 110 countries and regions across Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East to attend the global conference, where they will join over 4,000 domestic buyers for on-site sourcing and matchmaking.
As one of the conference’s three key supporting events, the Linyi International Product Selection Center is showcasing hardware, labor protection products, boards, and general merchandise in a dedicated physical showroom.
The center, which opened on Sept 28, now hosts 347 enterprises, 90 percent of which are local Linyi companies. Of the total, 90 percent are source factories, while 70 percent are integrated manufacturing and trading firms with export experience.
Leveraging the conference, the center aims to present the benefits of Linyi Trade City’s comprehensive supply chain to buyers at home and abroad, and to turn short-term sourcing negotiations into long-term, stable cooperation between suppliers and buyers.
Linyi boasts 136 specialized wholesale markets and over 6 million types of products. Previously, foreign buyers needed a week to travel between the various markets and factories.
As one sourcing agent put it: “We used to visit one factory at a time — maybe two a day. Now 20 factories’ products are under one roof, and we can see 20 in a day.”
The center’s “one store linking over 10 source factories” model pools thousands of local manufacturers into a standardized export supply chain, enabling buyers to source multiple types of products in just half a day.
In recent years, Linyi Trade City has focused on key markets in South Korea, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Africa. In the first three quarters of this year, it organized over 470 overseas trade fairs, helping more than 2,300 enterprises expand into overseas markets.
Media contact: The Linyi Municipal Publicity Department Fu Qi [email protected]
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