85 pct of China import expo exhibition area booked

SHANGHAI, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Eighty-five percent of the planned enterprise exhibition area has been booked for the fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE), according to the event's organizers.

Over 270 Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises have confirmed their participation in the event, which is scheduled to be held in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10, CIIE Bureau Deputy Director Sun Chenghai on Wednesday told a press briefing marking the event's 100-day countdown.

"Preparations for the expo are progressing smoothly as organizers have overcome the adverse impacts brought about by risks and uncertainties, including the COVID-19 pandemic," Sun said.

Some fortune 500 companies including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Gilead will participate in the event for the first time, Sun said.

To alleviate the impacts of the pandemic and global economic uncertainty on participating small and medium-sized enterprises, the fifth CIIE will not only actively promote the normalization of supporting policies such as tax incentives and customs clearance facilitation, but will also offer more free booths for enterprises from the least developed countries, Sun said.