The 5th RCEP (Shandong) Import Commodities Expo opened today at Linyi International Expo Center, bringing together more than 5,300 buyers from China and abroad alongside over 400 exhibitors representing 48 countries. Coinciding with the nationwide rollout of the “China Quality Foreign Trade Products Nationwide Promotion” initiative, the event highlights Shandong’s efforts to better align domestic and international trade channels.

As Linyi Mall’s official digital trade platform, ChinaMarket played a key role at the event. On opening day, it facilitated several procurement matchmaking activities and formalized strategic partnerships with buyer groups from Argentina, South Korea, Ghana, and other regions. The platform demonstrated how digital tools can streamline global sourcing by connecting overseas demand with China’s specialized manufacturing clusters, particularly for RCEP and Southeast Asian markets.

Digital Matchmaking Enhances Efficiency
Using its “verified manufacturing cluster network + omni-channel distribution” approach, ChinaMarket allows international buyers to engage directly with vetted Chinese suppliers across industries such as construction materials, plastics, textiles, electronics, home appliances, and consumer goods. During the expo, buyer delegations from Argentina, South Korea, and Ghana held in-person discussions with manufacturers supported by real-time data displays and AI-enabled tools, resulting in multiple initial agreements.

An Argentine participant noted that the platform simplifies supplier discovery and reduces sourcing time, while a South Korean delegation praised the reliability and responsiveness of its curated industrial resources.

Addressing Financing Challenges in Cross-Border Trade
To overcome payment and financing barriers—especially for small and medium-sized enterprises—ChinaMarket has partnered with financial institutions to introduce “data + order financing” solutions. This model offers flexible funding options, lowers entry barriers, and reduces transactional risks for both buyers and sellers.

Advancing Agri-Tech Supply Chains
At the expo, ChinaMarket also entered into a strategic partnership with the Su Village Government in Yinan County, Linyi, to develop a digital agricultural industrial hub. By combining direct sourcing from origin with platform-based distribution, the initiative aims to expand market access for high-quality Shandong agricultural products while providing international buyers with transparent, traceable supply chains for fresh and processed goods.

Expanding Footprint Across Southeast Asia
The platform continues to grow its presence in Southeast Asia. In December 2025, it launched a digital marketplace in Malaysia, enabling local buyers to access more than 10,000 verified Chinese factories. In Indonesia, its Surabaya-based “country pavilion” has supported government procurement initiatives, including prefabricated housing projects, underscoring its capacity to manage complex, large-scale orders.

Quan Chuanxiao, Chairman of Depth Digital Technology Group and ChinaMarket, stated that the platform aims to act as a bridge between China’s industrial ecosystems and global markets by digitizing trade processes to improve transparency, efficiency, and reliability.

Strong On-Site Engagement
On the opening day alone, ChinaMarket participated in the launch ceremony, completed strategic agreements with international buyer groups, and organized a dedicated matchmaking session for Ghanaian buyers. The platform emphasized its integrated approach—combining supply-side industrial resources, omni-channel distribution, data-driven financial services, and targeted matchmaking—to meet global sourcing needs.

During the expo, ChinaMarket is operating two exhibition areas at Linyi International Expo Center—one in Hall 2 focused on quality foreign trade products and another in Hall 1 featuring the Ghana National Pavilion—where business discussions and sourcing sessions are continuing throughout the event.

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Koch Disruptive Technologies has successfully completed a $26 million Series A funding round.

Koch Disruptive Technologies leads a predictive procurement platform which automatically and intelligently helps customers reduce costs while improving supply chain performance

Here is how it works - Arkestro uses a proprietary algorithm based on behavioral science, game theory and machine learning to help companies better align their supply chains with their goals. It also helps companies integrate data for real-time visibility into suppliers, costs and contract terms, providing remote validation and improved data quality. Arkestro’s software integrates with many Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions.

Arkestro's software has not only increased supplier equity and diversity in the marketplace but it has also improved supply chain control.

This is important because a stable supply chain and agile procurement processes are fundamental to the success of the business. The Arkestro platform intelligently uses data to achieve mutually beneficial results throughout the entire supply chain. According to customers the software accelerates and creates transparency in the vendor ecosystem.

“Suppliers receive purchase orders faster”, said Arkestro CEO Edmund Zagorin. “The acquisition will help them cut costs faster and get the parts and services they need to satisfy their customers.”

KOCH is investing into the platform because “We see significant potential in our supply chain with Arkestro and its technology platform. Specifically, in terms of the value it provides to the procurement market to help companies increase operational efficiency and reduce costs,” said Byron Knight, COO and Managing Director, Koch Disruptive Technologies.

"KDT and Koch Industries are investing heavily in their supply chain and helping Arkestro explore potential applications for the solution."

The Series A funding round was led by KDT with participation from seed producers Cervin, Correlation, El Cap, Forum, Illuminate and Tenacity along with NEA, Construct and Four More Capital.

Here is the bottom line - for Arkestro, this investment represents further validation of advance purchases as a market category and an opportunity for companies to spend more efficiently. It is a game changer, helping customers optimize their supply chain.

"Our client's success is now generating momentum among all acquisitions, prospects and investors who truly understand the transformative value of machine learning to drive continuous improvement throughout the acquisition cycle," said Edmund. IN DEEP: KDT's investment in the logistics space now extends from procurement to delivery.