Aux sells 45 percent of its white home electrical appliances and electric products to overseas markets.

"Despite the toughness brought by the financial woes, we still hope our sales will increase 20 percent this year. We see the trade fair as a good opportunity to display our new products and to explore new markets," Cai said.

Huang Haibin, international sales manager with Shandong Joyoung Co. Ltd. from east China's Shandong Province, said the financial crisis helped drive down his company's sales growth rate down to less than 30 percent last year, as against average annual increase of 50 percent before the economic turmoil.

"The Chinese Government has made exertions to warm up the foreign trade, which have benefited my company and our partners," Huang said.

"For instance, our American importers garnered profits from China's tax rebate policy."

Customs data shows in March China's foreign trade stood at US$162.02 billion, a year-on-year decline of 20.9 percent. But the decline rate was 6.3 percentage points below the January-February level.

According to Datuk Yong Ah Pwi, head of Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce, 44 Malaysian companies are taking part in the import section of the fair.

Yong said in comparison with developed countries, ASEAN nations and China were less affected by the financial crisis. Both sides are attempting to find a way to surmount the current difficulties through mutual support.

Malaysia is attaching great importance to China's policies to boost domestic consumption. The southeast Asian country hoped to sell more coffee, garments and foodstuffs with Malaysian characteristics to China, said Yong.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2009)