Reliable exporters: find them and meet them

SINGAPORE, November 22, 2010 – Global Sources (NASDAQ: GSOL) (http://www.globalsources.com) brings its highly successful trade show series to Singapore for the first time with the opening of the China Sourcing Fairs today.

Running through Nov. 24 at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre, theChina Sourcing Fairs (http://www.chinasourcingfair.com) comprise six specialty shows featuring Greater China suppliers' latest gifts and premiums, home products, garments and textiles, hardware and building materials, auto parts and accessories, and food and beverage products.

Global Sources' India Sourcing Fair with high-quality decorative and functional products from India suppliers is also making its Singapore debut at the same time and venue.

The concurrent trade shows offer international buyers more than 580 booths of products from quality Asian suppliers.

Attending the opening ceremony for the inaugural China Sourcing Fairs in Singapore were Li Minglin, Minister and Counselor of Economic and Commercial Section of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of Singapore, Ruan Weixing, Vice-Chairman, Fujian Chamber of Commerce of Import & Export and Merle A. Hinrich, Global Sources' Chairman and CEO.

Singapore shows make sourcing easier for buyers in ASEAN

China's trade with ASEAN has soared by nearly 50 percent after a free trade agreement between the two sides became effective in January 2010. With costs effectively lowered and trade barriers removed in thousands of product categories under the agreement, China-ASEAN trade in the January-October period reached US$235 billion.

President of Global Sources Exhibitions, Tommy Wong, said: "As Singapore is a major trading center in ASEAN, this makes it an ideal location for hosting China Sourcing Fairs. By bringing our shows to Singapore, Global Sources offers ASEAN as well as international buyers operating in the region a convenient platform for meeting and doing business with Greater China suppliers."

At the recent ASEAN-China Summit, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao put forward the goal of US$500 billion in China-ASEAN trade by 2015. This will further enhance relations between China and ASEAN.

Buying power across ASEAN, home to 600 million people, is strengthening, with many member states experiencing strong GDP growth. The World Bank projects the size of the middle class in Southeast Asia to increase 13-fold within two decades. This represents tremendous potential for trade expansion in ASEAN.

Singapore tourism representatives are also enthusiastic about the shows. "Singapore has built a robust calendar of business events over the years, supported by world-class facilities and excellent services. We are delighted to welcome the China Sourcing Fairs into our calendar of business events in Singapore, and believe they add to the vibrancy of our business events landscape, reinforcing Singapore's position as a leading destination for tradeshows in the region.  We welcome all international delegates and exhibitors and hope they will enjoy all the sights, sounds and tastes Singapore has to offer," said Edward Chew, Director, Exhibitions and Conferences of Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau.

Wong concluded: "China has emerged as ASEAN's largest trading partner. Launching China Sourcing Fairs in strategically positioned Singapore, the world's second-largest entrepot after Hong Kong, will help suppliers from Greater China explore ASEAN markets more efficiently."

Dates and times of the shows

Opening times for the China Sourcing Fairs and the India Sourcing Fair are:

• Nov. 22-23 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Nov. 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

More details about the China Sourcing Fairs and India Sourcing Fair in Singapore are available at http://www.chinasourcingfair.com/singapore.