Rafael Pino Pinto, governor of Panama, visits the booth of a company from Yiwu, Zhejiang province, during the Expocomer exhibition. [Photo/Zhejiang Department of Commerce WeChat]

Zhejiang products received a warm welcome in Panama City, Panama, at the 35th Expocomer International Trade Exhibition, which ran from March 22 to 26.

China took out a large exhibition space at Expocomer, one of the most influential trade fairs in Latin America thanks to Panama's advantageous location in Central America and its open business environment.

Zhejiang has been particularly keen to target the large market in the Americas, and products from the eastern province accounted for more than 80 percent of the Chinese goods on display at the expo.

The region has focused on promoting the quality, rather than low cost, of its goods, with the provincial commerce department selecting products from only its most competitive industries, such as textiles, building materials and hardware. The exhibits impressed local merchants in Panama.

Han Jie, deputy director of the Department of Commerce, talked to representatives of attending Zhejiang companies on March 22, encouraging them to take an active part in promoting Zhejiang products to other countries.

Han also met with officials from Panama, where he extended his gratitude and his hope for future exchanges and cooperation between Zhejiang and his hosts.