The ninth China International Import Expo, known as the CIIE, opened Thursday in Shanghai alongside the related Hongqiao International Economic Forum, running through November 10.
The CIIE was launched in 2018 as a showcase for foreign goods and companies seeking access to Chinese consumers, part of a broader effort by China to present itself as open to imports even as trade tensions have flared in various parts of the world in recent years. This year's expo drew 4,142 overseas exhibitors and covered more than 440,000 square meters of exhibition space, according to China's Ministry of Commerce. Organizers said more than 480 products and exhibits were set to make their global, Asian, or China debuts at the event, the highest number in the expo's history.
Executives attending the expo described it as a meaningful venue for reaching Chinese consumers. Mike Doustdar, president and chief executive of Novo Nordisk, said the expo had become an important part of the company's work in China, which he noted has grown into the company's second-largest market globally. San Yan Ng, regional president of lululemon's China and Asia-Pacific operations, described the expo as serving a purpose well beyond simply displaying products.
Chinese officials have framed the CIIE as part of a broader effort to widen market access for quality imported goods, with the stated goals of boosting domestic demand and supporting the country's industrial upgrading. The event has grown steadily since its first edition and remains one of the largest import-focused trade fairs in the world.
What is the China International Import Expo?
It is an annual trade fair in Shanghai, first launched in 2018, where overseas companies showcase products for the Chinese market.
How many exhibitors attended this year?
More than 4,100 overseas exhibitors took part across over 440,000 square meters of exhibition space.