The 2021 Zhoushan Export Commodity Online Fair for Japanese companies and seafood is held on March 16. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

The 2021 Zhoushan Export Commodity Online Fair for Japanese companies and seafood began on March 16 and will run until March 20, local media reported.

During the five-day event, 45 Zhoushan aquatic product companies will carry out 135 online business negotiations with 55 Japanese counterparts.

The fair's exhibitors from Zhoushan are suppliers of high-quality aquatic products qualified to export their commodities. They are showcasing fresh, frozen, and processed aquatic products and processing equipment during the fair.

Starting from March 17, Osaka, a port city in Japan, is scheduled to hold an exhibition for aquatic products, and Zhoushan companies will participate online.

Zhoushan is currently home to more than 350 aquatic product companies, including more than 120 exporters. More than 104,000 workers are engaged in the city's fishing industry.

Japan is the main importer of the city's aquatic products, but Covid-19 has impacted this relationship.

Last year, Zhoushan's exports of aquatic products to Japan experienced an 11 percent year-on-year decline to 1.72 billion yuan ($264.46 million), accounting for 25.8 percent of the city's total exports.

The Zhoushan municipal commerce bureau and trade promotion council organized the online fair in an effort to alleviate the impact of the pandemic. They expect the fair to stabilize the city's foreign trade and expand the markets of local companies.

One hundred aquatic product companies from Zhoushan and Japan are expected to carry out business negotiations during the five-day online event. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]

Zhoushan companies will participate in an exhibition held in Osaka from March 17 via an online platform. [Photo/zhoushan.cn]