"After we had submitted the information for participating in the exhibition, they helped us go through formalities, book airline tickets and hotels, and also helped us arrange the exhibition booth in a unified way, which saved a lot of trouble!" On July 28, Shao Ye, head of Sinoma (Yichang) Energy Conservation New Materials Co., Ltd., told reporters that in early September, the company will go to Kazakhstan to participate in the International Building Materials Exhibition in order to get more share in the international market.

　　Market is the lifeline of enterprises. With increasingly fierce competition and higher degree of internationalization, seeking diversified markets has become the best choice for enterprises. But when small and medium-sized enterprises try to enter the international market, they are faced with many difficulties such as limited sources, lack of talents and weak ability to resist risks.

　　Time waits for no one. How to solve the difficulties?

　　In recent years, China (Hubei) Pilot Free Trade Zone Yichang Area and Yichang Bureau of Commerce have actively implemented the market diversification strategy to support the development of new types of foreign trade and organized small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in overseas exhibitions and trade promotion activities through the provincial pilot platform of comprehensive foreign trade services.

　　"They" in Shao’s words refers to Hubei Yimaotong Enterprise Management Service Co., Ltd., which is a provincial pilot enterprise of comprehensive foreign trade services. This going to exhibition in Kazakhstan is planned and organized by Yimaotong.

　　"We use our own brand, talents, resources to help small and micro enterprises enter the international market, so that they can change from solo effort in the past to team work." Xiong Dandan, Executive Manager of Hubei Yimaotong Enterprise Management Service Co., Ltd., introduced that they helped enterprises pay the booth fee and personnel fee in a unified way, which saved the enterprises’ trouble and money and greatly improved their enthusiasm of "going out".

　　In addition to helping enterprises reduce their burdens, foreign trade services enterprises, with the provincial "100 Exhibitions Project" plan, also make full use of support policies to help enterprises advance the payment of financial subsidies, so that enterprises can use limited funds on key points, alleviating their pressure of capital turnover.

　　"For this exhibition in Kazakhstan, we originally had to pay 85,000 yuan. Yimaotong helped us pay 50,000 yuan in advance. So we paid only about 30,000 yuan." Shao Ye told the reporter.

　　According to statistics, from January to July 2019, 35 small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises were organized to attend 10 key international exhibitions, such as the Las Vegas Garment Fabric Exhibition, the Indian Fine Chemical Exhibition and the Asian Agricultural Exhibition (Cambodia), which covered the chemical industry, food, clothing, medical treatment and building materials. The comprehensive exhibition costs of enterprises were reduced by 20%, and a total of 800,000 yuan was saved. Exports of 10 million US dollars were increased and exports of more than 20 million US dollars will be added for the whole year.

　　"Group participation of exhibitions enables more small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises to "go out" to display Yichang's product advantages, give out Yichang’s voice in international economic and trade activities and exhibit Yichang's image." Zhang Yong, head of the Foreign Trade Section of the Yichang Bureau of Commerce, introduced that the 30th HKTDC Food Exposition will be held in mid-August this year. At present, four enterprises such as Yichang Tea Doctor Trade Co., Ltd. and Xin Ding Biotechnology Co., Ltd. have confirmed their participation in the exhibition. In late September, the first "Yichang Excellent Products" Russian Exhibition will be held in Moscow. Many enterprises involving in agricultural products, food, commerce and trade, will go to the exhibition in groups. At present, preparations are under way.

　　The city’s next step is to further optimize the service of "Zhanhuitong". With a view to the characteristics of import and export industries and the general needs of market entities in China (Hubei) Pilot Free Trade Zone Yichang Area, 20 key international exhibitions will be selected in the provincial "100 Exhibitions Action" plan for the dominant export industries of the city, and 100 enterprises will be motivated to participate in these exhibitions throughout the year. The number of newly opened foreign trade enterprises will reach 40 and an additional export volume of 40 million US dollars will be added.