The 25th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) opens in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province on September 8, 2025. Photo: Zhang Weilan/GT

Many South Korean businesses have showed their active participation at this year's China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT), opened on Monday in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, with the expectations to further align themselves with the development of the Chinese market and economy, which remains resilient despites global uncertainties.

Speaking at the CIFIT, which marks its 25th edition this year, Park Sun Kyung, chief representative of the Korea International Trade Association in Shanghai, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the growing number of South Korean enterprises participating in the fair reflects their confidence in the long-term benefits of China's market transformation and upgrading, and further underscores China's central role in the global supply chain.

"The Chinese market holds irreplaceable strategic value for South Korean companies. China is not only South Korea's largest trading partner but also the world's most promising consumer market, with over 400 million middle-income consumers and continuously upgrading demand," Park said.

At present, China is accelerating the establishment of a "dual circulation" development paradigm, offering South Korean firms opportunities to participate deeply in the restructuring of China's industrial value chains, she further noted, giving examples of a broad room for cooperation between South Korean and Chinese companies in emerging consumer sectors such as health-related consumption, smart homes, and the silver economy.

The global market has been in a period of fluctuation and uncertainty recently. Despite this, Jackie Yin, director of the Global Business Department of South Korea's JK Medical Group, said the resilience of the Chinese market and economy - especially the recovery of domestic consumption - is stable and positive for long-term development.

Yin is basing this assessment on the company's experiences in China. "As a foreign enterprise, our approach to development in the Chinese market can be described as steady progress and long-term development... We believe that the Chinese market has a high degree of independence and unique characteristics. If we want to benefit and grow in the Chinese market, we must stand firm and participate deeply," Yin told the Global Times at the CIFIT.

Last year, South Korea's JK Medical Group and Hebei Port Group officially signed a cooperation contract for the Ocean View JK Medical Beauty Project. According to the South Korean company, the two sides will work together to build a demonstration benchmark for the world's leading medical beauty, anti-aging, and regenerative medicine health services in northern China. The project covers 26,000 square meters and is planned to meet the conditions for opening in early 2026.

Yin spoke highly of the opening-up efforts of the Chinese market, particularly for foreign companies. He said that in recent years, the country has introduced a series of measures to support foreign medical and health industries, lifting certain restrictions, which "shows that the state level is encouraging the participation of foreign enterprises in the field of development and reform, which will greatly improve sectors including health care."

Another South Korean company Yuhan Corporation is also seeking to strengthen their presence in the Chinese market via the fair. Jason Lee, general manager of Investment Management Team of Yuhan Corporation, a South Korean pharmaceutical company, told the Global Times that he is so happy to be part of CIFIT held in Xiamen, a vibrant and beautiful city.

Lee expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government and event organizers for the opportunity to visit exhibitions of world-renowned companies, network with peers, and explore potential business opportunities. In order to enter the Chinese market, the South Korean company established a sales corporation in 2019 in partnership with a company in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province. 

China and South Korea trade showed a resilient growth. Last year, bilateral trade reached $328.08 billion, up 5.6 percent, with China remaining South Korea's largest trading partner for the 21st consecutive year, according to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China and South Korea have enormous potential for cooperation in high-end manufacturing, the digital economy, and the green economy, Park said, noting that while China is driving industrial upgrading and high-quality development, South Korea has strengths in cutting-edge technologies such as semiconductors and biotechnology. "The two sides can deepen innovation cooperation through joint R&D centers and collaborative technology development," she said.

With unilateralism and protectionism on the rise, particularly with US tariffs disrupting global supply chains, Park said that "in the current international context, Asian countries must further strengthen regional cooperation and jointly safeguard an open world economy."

"As major Asian economies and key links in the global supply chain, China and South Korea should work together to deepen regional economic integration, advance the upgrading of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership implementation, and enhance rule alignment in emerging areas such as the digital economy and green manufacturing," said Park.