The eighth edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), recognized as the world’s first national-level trade fair exclusively for imports, kicked off on Wednesday in Shanghai.
The CIIE, taking place from November 5 to 10, held its opening ceremony at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre (NECC) in Shanghai.
Marking its largest exhibition space to date and a record-breaking turnout of exhibitors, the eighth edition of the CIIE, themed ‘New Era, Shared Future,’ has drawn 4,108 overseas exhibitors from 155 countries, regions, and global organizations. The total exhibition area now surpasses 430,000 square meters.
At the opening ceremony, Chinese Premier Li Qiang emphasized that new opportunities have been generated and global collaboration will be expanded. This year’s CIIE will feature one main forum, 33 subforums, and the eighth edition of the Hongqiao International Economic Forum.
This year’s expo spotlights emerging industries like the low-altitude economy and humanoid robotics, alongside fresh themes such as the silver economy, winter sports economy, and sports-related industries.
Additionally, a dedicated exhibition zone has been established to support enterprises from the least developed nations.
Li also underscored the stability and reliability of China’s market and economy, noting that within five years, the country’s economic output is projected to exceed 170 trillion yuan, or roughly 23.9 trillion U.S. dollars.
The initial seven editions of the China International Import Expo have collectively resulted in deals exceeding $500 billion. This year’s expo is the first major economic event hosted by China after the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party, reaffirming the country’s commitment to high-level opening-up and inclusive global development. According to data released on October 1, Shanghai Customs oversaw 4,000 batches of imported CIIE exhibits, valued at more than eight billion yuan.
MOST READ | Brazil-China Trade Relations Deepen Amid Investment and New Opportunities
