In June 2025, in Benin, West Africa, thousands of miles away, the expansion project of the center of Benin is in full swing.

The stirring past of the center of Benin is worth remembering for every Teams  person.

          Rolling back the clock to 1998, China was not wealthy. Its per capita GDP was 828 US dollars, ranking 139th among 201 countries and regions in the world. However, the People's Republic of China has always upheld the responsibility of a major country and has continuously provided aid to Africa since shortly after its founding. During President Kereku of Benin's visit to China in 1998, China promised to assist Benin in building a commercial and trade center. The government would contribute 17 million RMB, and the remaining part would be made up by the enterprise. The center would be managed and operated by the contributing enterprise for the first 50 years and then transferred to the Benin side free of charge after 50 years.

      Zhejiang enterprises, which are down-to-earth, at the forefront and always at the forefront, have bravely taken on this heavy responsibility. Teams Group keenly seized this opportunity and undertook this project.

Li Zhaoxing, then Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Wang Weigang, Chairman of Teams International Group

      On December 16, 2008, the Benin Center, in which Teams  participated in the investment of over 20 million yuan, was completed. At that time, Benin President Yay, then Chinese Ambassador to Benin Geng Wenbing, representative of the Ministry of Commerce of China Sun Guangxiang, the Constitutional Court of Benin, the Supreme Court, the High Court,

       More than 500 people, including the chairpersons of the Economic and Social Council and other state institutions, Minister of State Defense Nduro, Minister of Commerce Ouansavi, Minister of Culture Soglo, and the chairman of China World Trade Center Co., LTD. (former vice minister of Commerce), attended the completion ceremony together.

              After the completion of the Benin Center, the people of Teams overcame numerous difficulties such as culture, language, diet, regulations and policies, 

braved the wind and rain, and forged ahead with determination. Not only has it expanded the commodity and economic and trade exchanges between the people of China and Benin, but it has also held 14 editions of the Benin (West Africa) China Commodity Exhibition successively, opening up markets for thousands of Chinese enterprises. It has won high praise from the Chinese enterprises participating in the exhibition, as well as the Benin government and local people, and has become 

a model of cooperation between Ningbo, China and Cotonou (the largest city and port of Benin), Zhejiang and Benin.

       At present, China's economy is constantly taking off, and the scale of exports has been rising year after year. Meanwhile, Benin, the pearl of West Africa,

 has maintained political stability for many consecutive years, has good relations with China, and is backed by 11 West African countries including Nigeria, 

Niger, Togo, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Ghana, Cote d 'Ivoire, Liberia,Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau Behind it lies a huge market with a total 

area of 5.11 million square kilometersand a population of 358 million.

This area has similar cultures, languages, systems and regulations. It is a blue ocean market that is waiting to be explored, with vast prospects and great potential!

     With the continuous development of the economic situation, the original Benin Center has been unable to meet the growing demand for 

commodity exhibitions and salesUnder the grand backdrop of the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Africa cooperation has been continuously  deepened 

and consolidated,and the Benin Center is also welcoming its expansion. After the expansion, the Benin Center will be able to offer a larger space and a wider range of products, providing more choices for the people of Benin 

and West Africa. It will also offer better services to enterprises venturing into West Africa. 

The expanded Benin Center is bound to write a brilliant chapter in the cooperation between Benin and Ningbo, Zhejiang and even China.

 It will surely deepen the traditional friendship between the people of China and Benin and become an outstanding case of China-Africa cooperation!

   Teams Group sincerely welcomes all enterprises to participate in exhibitions, do business and invest in Benin. The Benin Center will serve you wholeheartedl