7/15/2008
AAIA Partners With China Ministry of Commerce
Building on its Asian Initiative to meet the growing needs of members to learn more about doing business in China, the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA) today established a formal partnership with the China International Auto Parts Expo (CIAPE), a division of the China Ministry of Commerce.
Representing AAIA at the official signing ceremony at the Ministry of Commerce headquarters in Beijing were Kathleen Schmatz, AAIA president and CEO and Jerry O'Pry, AAIA chair. Jiang Yaoping, vice minister of MOFCOM, hosted the ceremony and CIAPE chairman, Li Rengui, represented CIAPE.
The partnership agreement calls for Ministry of Commerce to provide an educational program at AAPEX on how to sell to the Chinese aftermarket. The program will include information on the Chinese aftermarket, government regulations and business practices.
One-on-one business meetings will match prominent Chinese companies interested in meeting leading AAIA manufacturer and supplier members to discuss business ventures in China to serve that aftermarket. This program will be available at no charge to exhibiting AAIA member companies, and also available to non-exhibiting member companies for a fee.
AAIA will promote the China International Auto Parts Expo in Beijing, Nov. 12-15, to its members. AAIA will present a symposium at CIAPE on the U.S. aftermarket and AAIA.
"Our new partnership with the Ministry of Commerce is one more step in responding to our members' interests in the Chinese aftermarket," Schmatz said. "The U.S. aftermarket technology, brands, products and delivery system are second to none in the world, and we want to give our member companies who want to sell in Asia the contacts, knowledge and assistance they need."
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