Accompanied by Philip Chapnick, UBM Group Chief Representative in China, David met with senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), Tianjin and Shanghai Municipalities, including: Madam Qiu Hong, Assistant Minister of MOFCOM; Mr Lv Jijian, Deputy Director of Department of Trade in Services of MOFCOM; Mr Ren Xuefeng, Vice Mayor of Tianjin Municipality; Mr Zhou Bo, Vice Mayor of Shanghai Municipality; Mr Liu Jiangang, Director General of Tianjin Commission of Commerce; Mr Chen Xianjin, Deputy Director of Shanghai Commission of Commerce; Mr Ma Xiao, Party Chief of CCPIT Shandong Sub-Council.
On May 29, Mr Levin attended the 2nd China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS) officiated by Premier Li Keqiang, and he delivered a keynote speech at China International Conference on the Development of MICE Industry on May 28.
In his speech, he announced that UBM would be organising a non-profit-making public seminar in December 2013 to help bring global best practices in internet and social media marketing to the Chinese exhibition industry. The seminar, proposed and supported by Department of Trade in Services of MOFCOM, is co-organised with China Convention & Exhibition Society (CCES).
Mr Levin said: "This seminar is our attempt to give something meaningful back to the exhibition community in which we work here in China. As a global organiser, we have learned quite a bit about how to utilise the internet and social media effectively and we think that by sharing it with our fellow Chinese exhibition companies, we can raise the bar for exhibitions across China, something that will make business better for all of us in this segment of China's dynamic and expanding service sector."
UBM is the largest independent trade fair organiser in China with over 800 staff in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen and Hong Kong and operates 60 plus events in China. Its first exhibition in China was Marintec China in Shanghai which has been held in Shanghai since 1981 without interruption. Other UBM flagship international events in Shanghai include Furniture China, Shanghai International Children-Baby-Maternity Industry Expo, HDD (Hotel +Design & Deco), CPhI China, All China Leather Exhibition and DenTech China.
Apart from extensive and in-depth exchanges with Mr Zhou Bo, Vice Mayor of Shanghai Municipality and Mr Chen Xianjin, Deputy Director of Shanghai Commission of Commerce, Mr Levin also met with Mr Wen Zhongliang, Deputy President of Shanghai Hongqiao New Exhibition Center.
