Aerial photo taken on Oct. 19, 2018 shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue of the upcoming first China International Import Expo (CIIE), in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Fan Jun)

ZAGREB, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- From listed company to family business, Croatian firms participating in the upcoming China International Import Expo (CIIE) have expressed their hopes in finding business opportunities in China.

Zagreb-based KONCAR Group, whose business scope includes electricity, transport and energy, is among over 30 Croatian companies which will participate in the CIIE in Shanghai.

For KONCAR, CIIE is a great opportunity to showcase the company's production program. "Participation at the CIIE will open an opportunity for KONCAR Group to establish new contacts with representatives of Chinese energy and transport companies," Renata Godek, KONCAR's communication director, told Xinhua.

She explained that the company will present in Shanghai its production program in the transfer and distribution of electricity, as well as the production of track vehicles.

Godek believes that China is one of the world's most important markets which is increasingly opening up to the world. KONCAR realized that and has already associated itself with some Chinese companies. As early as 2006, a joint venture with China's TBEA Co., Ltd. was established in northeastern China's Shenyang. In June 2018, KONCAR and China XD Electric Co., Ltd. signed a joint venture agreement. The two will manufacture gas-insulated switchgear together and deliveries will begin in 2020.

"Experiences with Chinese partners open up new opportunities for business," Godek concluded.

Photo taken on Nov. 1, 2018 shows the scenery of Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua)

Along with KONCAR Group, one of the biggest companies in Croatia with a staff of 4,000, family agricultural company Riba Drazin will also take part in the CIIE.

Based in the traditional fishing village Kastel Kambelovac on the eastern shore of the Adriatic coast, Riba Drazin, which offers marinated and salted seafood, is a small family business with just four employees. This will be its first attempt on the Chinese market.

"We hope to make good connections in China and maybe find someone who would promote and sell our products in China," Zivko Drazin, owner of the company, told Xinhua, saying that they will present around 20 products such as octopus' salad, olives with almonds or marinated anchovies.

Drazin hopes that Chinese consumers could be specially interested in crithmum -- a healthy sea plant, and pepefish, which is Drazin's original product that is protected on Croatian and international market. It is a combination of marinated anchovies and mini red peppers, usually served with bread, cheese and wine.

In 2017, trade volume between Croatia and China reached 807 million euros (about 919 million U.S. dollars), increasing by 22.75 percent from 2016. In the first half of this year, bilateral trade volume has increased 18.4 percent compared with the same period of 2017, according to figures from the Chinese Embassy in Croatia.