By Zhao Yu

On August 6, our correspondent traveled to Almaty, Kazakhstan, alongside more than 100 Ningbo exporters for the HomeTech & Electra 2025 International Exhibition.

The delegation carried not only samples of Ningbo-manufactured products, but also ambitions to deepen China-Kazakhstan trade ties, building on the momentum of the 2025 China-Central Asia Summit and positioning Ningbo among the first to advance cooperation on the ground.

Lights Out, Business On

At 9:50 a.m. on August 8, just ten minutes before opening time at the Almaty International Exhibition Center in Kazakhstan, the lights went out.

The correspondent had been speaking with Azat, the local organizer's on-site coordinator, about Ningbo's reputation for efficiency when the hall was suddenly plunged into darkness. For several seconds there was only silence, followed by a few quiet murmurs, before the emergency lights flickered on.

By the glow of phone screens, the correspondent and Azat traded wry smiles. Then, just as abruptly, the main lights came back.

Across the hall at Handian Group's booth, business was already underway. Marketing Director Wang Wanxue was already welcoming their first visitor of the day, Ruslanbek, from the Turkistan Region.

Speaking in Russian and holding a Handian product catalog, Ruslanbek explained that he runs a 200-square-meter appliance store with more than a dozen employees. "I came to a Chinese trade fair here in Almaty last year," he said. "The goods I bought sold out quickly—people here trust Chinese brands."

He pointed to a refrigerator on display. "I drove over 1,000 kilometers this time to order more appliances from Ningbo. High-power cooling models are the most popular."

As he worked out quantities with the sales team, he tapped the brochure to highlight a particular model: "This one sold out last time. I need to stock up more this time."

The brief blackout was already a forgotten footnote in a hall buzzing with deals and conversations.

Finding Common Ground on Foreign Soil

On the evening of August 6, at the Almaty International Exhibition Center in Kazakhstan, Ding Zhihua of Zhejiang Huaheng Electric Power Technology Co., Ltd., based in Ningbo, was carefully adjusting a microwave-sized model of a compact substation—a 1:100 scale version specially designed for the exhibition. He was assisted by Wang Haoyu of Xi'an Changhong Electronic Control Equipment Factory, a Shaanxi-based company.

"Apologies for being tied up earlier today; now we finally have time to chat," Ding said to the correspondent with a smile. Turning to Wang, he added, "And to our surprise, we've already found a potential client."

Wang, also smiling, took over the conversation. "After setting up our booth this afternoon, we decided to explore the Ningbo section. It's like we've discovered a new world," he remarked.

The two companies, both manufacturers of electrical control equipment, were exhibiting side by side, an unusual scenario given their competitive nature. Yet, despite this, the interaction between the two sparked a sense of camaraderie.

Ding noted, "I've always believed in the power of collaboration." He emphasized that cooperation and mutual learning within the industry are far more valuable than cutthroat competition.

Pointing to the substation model, Ding explained that it was designed for long-distance transportation and could be used in photovoltaic power stations and wind farms across Central Asia. He also highlighted the complementary nature of the two companies' business: since Xi'an Changhong specializes in small distribution boxes for the northwest Chinese market, Huaheng could refer clients to them or work with them on collaborative projects.

During a break, Ding recalled a conversation at the Canton Fair earlier that year, where a Kazakh distributor had expressed a need not only for power distribution equipment but for partners to explore business opportunities with. In his planner, Ding had written down "meet with two local companies after the exhibition to discuss client referrals."

As his phone buzzed with a message about a wind power project in southern China, Ding smiled and texted back, "Let's discuss the details after we wrap up here at the exhibition."