More than 50 exhibitors from Singapore took part in the five-day event – the highest number since 2023. Some were testing the market for the first time while others had spent years building contacts and turning discussions into business deals.
For many Singaporean companies looking to expand in China, Nanning offers a foothold in a less familiar market.
The capital of Guangxi has been in the spotlight after 52 Singaporeans were arrested over suspected involvement in pyramid-scheme activities, amid longstanding warnings over investment pitches that promised unusually high returns.
The Singapore Business Federation (SBF) said it was not aware of companies raising concerns about entering Nanning following the news.
Businesses had still been asking the usual questions about “market access, market opportunities, and how they can enter a market”, executive director for international business Soo Wei-Chieh told CNA.
Businesses described to CNA a slow process of breaking into China’s massive market – one that can involve spending months or even years finding the right partners, testing relationships and assessing whether opportunities can turn into real business.
A “BLUE OCEAN”
When most Singaporeans think of China, they often think first of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, said Tan Teck Yong, chairman and CEO of Singapore education company KinderWorld International Group.
But Tan is looking further afield.
First-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen are a “red ocean”, Tan said, referring to a business term for crowded and competitive markets.
The Guangxi region, by contrast, is a “blue ocean”, he said – a less saturated market with more room for growth.
KinderWorld first entered China in 2000 before expanding into Vietnam. For Tan, venturing into new markets is part of the company’s broader strategy.
“We are a Singapore company. Our motto is very clear: internationalise,” he said.
