“Industrious Endeavors, Down Shines Globally." On the morning of December 10th, the grand opening ceremony of the 2023 International Down Exhibition, sponsored by the Lu’an Municipal People's Government and the Department of Commerce of Anhui Province, and co-organized by the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products, the Lu’an Municipal Bureau of Commerce, and the Lu’an Municipal Council for the Promotion of International Trade, was held at the Lu’an Sports Center. Mr. Ma Jiantang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice Director of the Economic Committee, and former Secretary of the Party Group of the Development Research Center of the State Council, attended and delivered a speech. Mr. Zhou Xian, Vice Chairman of the Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, announced the opening of the event.
Mr. Zhang Xiang, First-level Inspector of the Circulation Development Department of the Ministry of Commerce; Mr. Cao Derong, President of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-products; Ms. Yao Xiaoman, Vice Chairman of the International Down and Feather Bureau, Honorary Chairman of the China Down Industry Association; Mr. Mikhail Odinsov, Chairman of the Winter Clothing Committee of the Russian Apparel Union; Mr. Yang Jian, Executive Chairman of the China Fashion Designers Association; Mr. Huang Ying, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Commerce of Anhui Province; Mr. Pan Dongxu, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor; Mr. Fu Xin'an, Director of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress; Mr. Chen Jiaben, Chairman of the Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference; Mr. Yuan Weihai, Secretary of the Party Committee of Wanshi University; Mr. Wang Longzhao, Member of the Party Group of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress, First-level Inspector; Mr. Sun Xuelong, Deputy Mayor, First-level Inspector; Ms. Bao Laihua, Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, along with officials from relevant provincial departments, domestic and foreign guests, and representatives attended the opening ceremony.
Pan Dongxu delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. He pointed out that Lu’an is a city of historical significance and ecological beauty, abundant in resources, and renowned as a city of revolutionary heritage. It holds the esteemed titles of the "White Goose Kingdom" and the homeland of down, recognized both domestically and internationally as a prime source of high-quality down and a significant distribution center for down products nationwide. Lu’an is committed to leveraging its resource advantages for developmental gains, continuously expanding the industry's scale, extending the industrial chain, and focusing on enhancing the influence, reputation, and market competitiveness of the down industry. He expressed that the International Down Exhibition, held for eight consecutive sessions, has become a pivotal platform in fostering exchanges and cooperation between Lu’an and the international community. As the host, Lu’an is committed to providing the warmest hospitality and the finest services, aiming to vividly narrate the story of down and perpetuate the tales of win-win cooperation for a brighter future.
Cao Derong highlighted in his speech that the world looks at China for down, and within China, Lu'an stands out. In recent years, the China (Lu'an) International Down Exhibition, with its focus on professionalism, has become a hallmark event for the high-quality development of the down industry. This edition of the exhibition, highly integrated with fashion design, production, manufacturing, and commercial trade, facilitates supply-demand matching and industry collaboration. It holds significant importance in boosting confidence, driving consumption, and stimulating the economy. Presently, the canvas of modern Chinese-style development has been unfurled, and constructing a modernized down industry system aligns with the era's requirement for high-quality development. In this new era and on this new journey, it is hoped that Lu'an's down industry will embark on a new chapter and continue its glorious journey.
Huang Ying expressed in her speech that the Provincial Department of Commerce will leverage its departmental functions to actively recommend well-known domestic and foreign enterprises, industry leaders, and hidden champion enterprises with high relevance to industrial development to visit Lu'an for discussions, project alignments, and negotiations. The department encourages Lu'an to nurture new foreign trade advantages in the down industry, supports the acceleration of Lu'an's exhibition economy development, and pledges substantial support in investment attraction, market expansion, and base construction.
Ma Jiantang summarized in his speech, stating that Lu'an is a land rich in revolutionary history and ecological vibrancy. In recent years, guided by Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Lu'an has adhered to the implementation of the new development philosophy, diligently carried out strategies for high-quality development, accelerated the formation of a new development pattern, and vigorously promoted high-level opening-up. At present, in this new stage of development, Lu'an is leveraging its resource endowments, transforming its geographical and resource advantages into industrial and economic strengths. The endeavor to create the brand of the "White Goose Kingdom" and the homeland of down encapsulates this ideology's vivid practice.
Ma Jiantang emphasized that as the original birthplace and primary production area of Anhui's western white geese, Lu'an should continue grounding its strategies on market demands. It must reinforce industrial layout, establish and advance the entire industrial chain of goose meat products, down and feather precision processing, promoting industry aggregation and boosting the branding of the goose industry. This initiative will facilitate the leapfrog development of agricultural characteristic industries, drive rural revitalization, and uplift farmers' prosperity collectively. Leveraging this International Down Exhibition as an opportunity, it's essential to further construct platforms for exchanges in the domestic and international down and feather industries and prefabricated vegetable sectors. This effort will contribute to expediting the establishment of a new development pattern in Lu'an.
At the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Zhang Xiang and Mikhail Odintsov. Additionally, the Down Exhibition also hosted award ceremonies for the Annual Figures in the Chinese Down Industry, Leading Brands, Outstanding Contributions, Most Promising Awards, among others, along with signing ceremonies for certain projects.
The opening ceremony was presided over by Su Man, member of the Municipal Party Committee and Deputy Mayor. It's understood that in this Down Exhibition, a meticulously designed offline down product pavilion and an online cross-border e-commerce platform were established. Collaborations with the Russian Textile and Apparel Entrepreneurs Union were initiated, along with investment discussions regarding the Lu'an Down Industry Development Conference, the White Goose Prefabricated Vegetable Development Summit, the Paris Nalidodi 2024-2025 Autumn-Winter International Down Fashion Trend Release, and other activities. These initiatives aim to bolster the extension and enhancement of the down industry chain, focusing on making this Down Exhibition a grand event for exhibition and demonstration, an investment and trade platform, as well as a nexus for exchange and cooperation. The ultimate goal is to further enhance the influence, reputation, and market competitiveness of the down industry in our city, showcasing Lu'an's new image of "green revitalization and accelerated development".
After the conclusion of the opening ceremony, the attending leaders and guests collectively visited the exhibition areas showcasing down products, live e-commerce displays, and delicacies featuring the White Goose from western Anhui.