Chinese retailer Suning has launched a global sourcing program that will give more than 5000 overseas brands access to the Chinese market over the next three years.

Under the plan, the company will expand its supply chain through deals worth billions of US dollars with international brands and suppliers across FMCG, general merchandise, 3C products and lifestyle household goods.

Suning, which says 30 per cent of its revenue will come from its international business by 2020, has already entered into strategic partnerships with a range of leading international brands. The business is the largest retail partner of Dell, HP and Microsoft, along with AO Smith and Whirlpool. It is also the largest retail channel in Greater China for BSH Home Appliances Group, the largest manufacturer in the sector in Europe.

“This plan is a huge opportunity for overseas brands to work with us and access the Chinese market,” says Suning International business development director Melody Jia. “We’ve built our cross-industry ecosystem to provide brands with diversified support and resources they need to explore the market and enable them to reach Chinese consumers in an efficient way.”

Suning established Suning International in 2016, integrating its businesses in Hong Kong, Japan and the US. It is now seeking partnerships worldwide to further strengthen its ecosystem across the six industries in which it works: retail, real estate, financial services, media and entertainment, sports and investment.

This year Suning is launching roadshows covering 10 countries including Japan and South Korea to introduce its open-platform capabilities and globalisation plans to brands, merchants and trade organisations. Its first Global Suppliers Summit is planned for next month, to be followed in March by a special global-sourcing event at its headquarters in Nanjing.

Meanwhile, Suning says it is already preparing for the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. Unveiled by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the event is regarded as a significant move by the government to actively open the Chinese market to the world to strengthen economic co-operation and cross-border trade.