Discover five highlights of the 4th CIIE

The exterior of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), a main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo. (People's Daily Online/Yan Daming)

The upcoming 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE), which is scheduled to be held in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10, is expected to achieve renewed success in terms of the total exhibition area, level of participants, and the expo's setup, among other advancements.

Expanded exhibition scale

The total exhibition area for this year's CIIE will be further expanded to 366,000 square meters, compared with the 360,000 square meters for last year’s event.

This year's CIIE, similar to the previously held expo, will feature six business exhibition areas – namely, food and agricultural products, automobiles, intelligent industry and information technology, consumer goods, medical equipment and healthcare products, and trade in services.

The platform will be available not only for developed countries, but also developing ones, including countries along the Belt and Road as well as least developed countries.

This year, overseas enterprises are much more willing to participate in the CIIE, which reflects their interest and confidence in seizing new opportunities in the Chinese market, said Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the CIIE Bureau.

Participants of a higher level

Over 80 percent of Fortune Global 500 and industrial leaders who participated in the exhibition last year will return for the 4th CIIE.

The world’s three major auction companies, three leading high-end consumer goods companies, four top food dealers, as well as the top 10 automobile groups, and the top 10 enterprises in industrial electrics, medical equipment and cosmetics, respectively, are expected to launch new products at the expo.

Meanwhile, the exhibition areas have been designed to be more cutting-edge and specialized. Specifically, 13 themed zones focusing on low-carbon energy and environmental technologies, among others, will be set up at this year's expo.

The expo will also offer a platform for communication between enterprises and the government by setting up 14 special committees, including those concerning smart transportation and new energy.

Online country exhibition launched for the first time

Due to recent Covid-19 flare-ups, the 4th CIIE will launch an online country exhibition for the first time, supported by 3D modelling, virtual programs and other new technologies. Visitors can skim through content and access product information by clicking the relevant links.

This new feature also enables more countries, including the Congo, Kiribati, Mauritius, the Solomon Islands, and Palestine to join as newcomers in attending the country exhibition. The expo aims to provide a platform for developed, developing and the least developed countries.

Strong purchasing demand

Domestic and foreign buyers have actively signed up for the expo, and a total of 39 trading groups and 599 sub-groups will enter the venue to engage in on-site communication and purchases.

Among all registered buyers from home and abroad, enterprises account for 82.6 percent. As for domestic companies, private firms account for 64 percent, while small- and medium-sized enterprises make up 70.5 percent of the total – both being at a relatively high level.

In terms of industries, there is expected to be more professional visitors from manufacturing, wholesale and retail industries, accounting for nearly 30 percent of the total, which is largely in line with the expo's setup.

Hongqiao Forum

The Hongqiao International Economic Forum, as a key part of the CIIE this year, will have the theme of "World economy amidst profound changes: Global economic cooperation in post-COVID era."

The forum will be held both online and offline, gathering participants from governments, industries and academic institutions to share their wisdom in twelve parallel sessions focusing on cutting-edge issues such as green development and the digital economy.

A highlight of the forum will be a special session on win-win cooperation among countries, as this December marks 20 years since China joined the World Trade Organization, with a special activity showcasing the progress and achievements in China's opening-up over the past two decades.