A man watches hand-painted vases from the Czech Republic at the Consumer Goods exhibition area of the 3rd China International Import Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Nov. 8, 2020. (People’s Daily Online/Weng Qiyu) |
The 3rd China International Import Expo (CIIE), a grand global trade fair held in the post-pandemic world, has attracted worldwide attention. As China shares its market opportunities with the world, it is also injecting more impetus to global recovery.
Strict containment protocols were ensured at the event. Even Jinbao, the mascot panda of the 3rd CIIE, was wearing a mask at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the venue of the event, as a reminder for people to ensure sound protection against COVID-19.
To make it to the 3rd CIIE as scheduled and guarantee strict compliance with the event’s regulations regarding COVID-19 control, a manager of a German tech firm arrived in Shanghai in advance and went through 14 days of medical observation. It was the third time for the company to join the global trade event. “We must bring the best of us here,” the manager told People’s Daily. What he said reflected the strong attraction of the vast Chinese market.
The unexpected COVID-19 epidemic has hit countries hard and dealt a heavy blow to the world economy. However, it failed to hinder the progress of the 3rd CIIE. The exhibition area of the event has expanded by nearly 30,000 square meters. A zone on public health and epidemic prevention has been newly added, the size of which was six times than that planned. Besides, many Fortune Global 500 corporations and leading firms were attracted to the trade gala.
Many exhibitors enjoyed large booths at the event which included both display and business negotiation areas. An exhibitor told People’s Daily that he was hoping to explore more market opportunities and generate more ideas with its users and partners. With larger exhibition areas, better layout and higher-quality exhibitors, the 3rd CIIE was safer, more exciting and more successful.
One of the revelations brought by the COVID-19 pandemic is to shape healthy lifestyles, so the Medical Equipment and Healthcare Products exhibition area was one of the highlights of the 3rd CIIE, dubbed as the most favored area at the event. In this area, vaccines, medical equipment, drugs, and health services were all hotcakes, and the number of global pharmaceutical and medical equipment companies joining the event also doubled from that in the first CIIE two years ago. Pharmaceutical and healthcare companies have built a “Great Wall of health” at the event to improve people’s health with high-quality products.
A German company brought to the 3rd CIIE its pill organizers that were both functional and stylish However, the company didn’t join the CIIE in the previous years due to the lack of information about the global fair. Witnessing China’s success in COVID-19 control this year, it managed to get a booth at this year’s session.
The CIIE is an open platform that encourages global enterprises to jointly expand China’s business opportunities. For instance, a series of launch events were held on the second floor of the Hall 7 of the venue, debuting many enterprises’ new products, frontier technologies and innovative services.
The comprehensive influence of the CIIE and the purchasing power of buyers were incomparable, said an exhibitor, explaining why this platform was attached with so much importance by global companies.
China has a population of 1.4 billion and a middle-income group that exceeds 400 million. The vastly huge Chinese market is the most promising in the world, where global economies and enterprises can share infinite development dividends as long as they understand the country’s resolution to promote common development of the world with win-win cooperation, and seize the opportunities in China’s new development paradigm with domestic circulation as the mainstay and domestic and international circulations reinforcing each other.
Green, a color of life and vitality, was the background of the Medical Equipment and Healthcare Products exhibition area. The CIIE is believed to enjoy greater vitality with China’s expanding opening-up, the world’s increasing enthusiasm for the event and proactive participation of enterprises.
The overwhelming trend for countries to move toward openness and cooperation remains unchanged. As the CIIE sets to achieve greater success year by year, it is bound to create more opportunities for global exhibitors.