7th CIIE: A Glimpse into the Massive Market

The 7^th China International Import Expo (CIIE), held last November 5, 2024 – November 10, 2024, once again welcomed the world to Shanghai, showcasing China’s dedication to fostering an open global economy. The expo highlighted China’s commitment to enhancing trade liberalization and promoting global economic growth. By serving as a gateway for international businesses to enter the expansive Chinese market, the 7^th CIIE reasserts China’s stance on economic globalization and facilitates collaboration between enterprises worldwide.

The 7^th CIIE reached significant milestones, emphasizing openness, innovation, and sustainability. It recorded an intended deal amount of $80.01 billion, reflecting a 2% increase compared to the previous year. Notable participants included 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders, setting a historical record for corporate attendance. Additionally, the expo’s ability to draw a professional audience of over 430,000 visitors, alongside participation from 1,585 Belt and Road Initiative enterprises.

Preparations for the 8^th CIIE are now well underway, with pre-booked corporate exhibition areas surpassing 100,000 square meters.

A Gateway to the Massive Chinese Market

This year’s expo attracted professionals from diverse industries, indicating the vast opportunities for global businesses to tap into China’s high demand for imports.

At the 7^th CIIE, attendees witnessed China’s consumer market’s incredible scale and influence. As one of the world’s largest consumer bases, China continues to experience rapid consumption growth, powered by its consumers with increasing purchasing power. This year’s expo attracted professionals from diverse industries, indicating the vast opportunities for global businesses to tap into China’s high demand for imports. CIIE presented a unique opportunity for worldwide enterprises to connect with Chinese buyers, expand their presence, and gain insights into consumer trends, shaping the future of commerce in China and beyond.

A Platform for Presenting the Images of Countries

The Comprehensive Country Exhibition remains a vital platform for countries to present their images. A total of 77 countries and international organizations attended this year’s Comprehensive Country Exhibition, with Benin, Burundi, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Norway, Slovakia and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) participating for the first time. By placing a spotlight on countries’ unique cultural and industrial offerings, the CIIE showcased China’s high-level opening-up, enabling countries to present their national identities and comprehensive images.

The China Pavilion, themed “Advance Chinese modernization and Jointly Pursue Global Development and Prosperity,” further focuses on showcasing the remarkable achievements in technology, culture, and innovation. It also demonstrated vivid practices of China’s comprehensive deepening reforms, as well as the integration of China’s cultural heritage and technical innovation, blending historical artistry with modern interpretative styles.

A Showcase for Industry Diversity and the Latest Innovations

The Enterprise & Business Exhibition, an important part of CIIE, once again covered over 360,000 square meters this year, gathering 3,496 enterprises from 129 countries and regions, featuring six main exhibition areas, namely Food and Agriculture Products, Automotive, Intelligent Industry & Information Technology, Consumer Goods, Medical Equipment & Healthcare Products, and Trade in Services, underlining its global appeal and the confidence of international businesses in China’s thriving economy,

It is worth mentioning that the Intelligent Industry and Information Technology Exhibition Area introduced a special section for new materials for the first time, which featured high-value products like electronic materials, biomaterials, and specialty materials.

It is worth mentioning that the Intelligent Industry and Information Technology Exhibition Area introduced a special section for new materials for the first time, which featured high-value products like electronic materials, biomaterials, and specialty materials.

Overall, the expo demonstrated its role as a premiere platform for innovation, hosting the debut of 450 new products, new technologies and new services including over 100 global debuts. Attendees gained the opportunity to engage with innovators and explore product showcases that highlighted the latest advancements across various sectors, providing companies with an insider’s perspective on emerging industry trends.

A Bridge for International Dialogue

The Hongqiao International Economic Forum (HQF), a hallmark of the expo, convened more than 300 authoritative figures from politics, business, and academia, including Nobel laureates and leading figures. Topics ranged from artificial intelligence and new energy storage to global trade and intellectual property rights, reflecting the forum’s role in addressing contemporary global challenges. It’s a high-level platform for international dialogue and exchange among political, business, and academic circles. Through these discussions, CIIE fostered a spirit of partnership and mutual benefit among countries and companies alike.

The expo also underscored sustainable trade practices, promoting global initiatives focused on exploring pathways for businesses to achieve green and sustainable development. Such conversations geared toward fostering responsible trade and economic interdependence illustrated CIIE’s commitment to building a more interconnected, resilient global trade ecosystem. By facilitating these exchanges, the HQF reinforced the importance of partnership in tackling global challenges and highlighted how countries and companies can collectively shape a sustainable and thriving future.

A Stage for Cross-Cultural Exchanges

Rich and vibrant people-to-people exchange activities of every edition of CIIE attracts great attention of the attendees, which are beneficial to strengthening mutual understanding between diverse culture. At the 7^th CIIE, more than 227 performances were presented by Chinese and international artists, promoting cross-cultural dialogue and fostering the vitality global arts and culture.

The CIIE demonstrated China’s commitment to creating a more open world economy, promoting shared benefits, and acting as a springboard for global business partnerships. As the expo moves forward, it will continue to play a pivotal role in global trade, and enterprises are encouraged to look ahead to the 8^th CIIE, where they can seize opportunities to explore massive Chinese market.