The coastal city of Qingdao, Shandong province was quite successful with its show at the 2014 China Homlife Fair, a household products exposition, at the Dubai International Exhibition Center, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Nov 25 - 27, where it had many products on display and got a considerable amount of praise from visitors.

Qingdao's Overseas Investment Service Center scrambled together eight enterprises for the fair, seeing it as a golden opportunity to give itself global exposure, so it made an extra effort to help the Chinese companies with their visas, preparations, and exhibition arrangements.

One local participant, the Qingdao Creek Environmental Protection Materials Co, which deals in thermal insulation, got plenty of attention at the fair for its new flame-retardant, thermal insulation boards, while the Qingdao Xinshenghuo Household Decorations Co saw a turnover worth at least $200,000 on the very first day of the fair, thanks to its fashionable quilts.

Taking part in the opening ceremony were the UAE's foreign trade minister, Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi, and Zhang Xijing, of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade's Gulf Area Office.

The fair had sponsorship from the city of Shanghai's commerce commission and Qingdao's commerce bureau. It is one of China's biggest Middle East trade fairs, with a four-year history and a good reputation.