The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world's first national-level exposition dedicated to imports, opened in Shanghai on Wednesday, showcasing China's firm commitment to global cooperation, which injects much-needed certainty and stability into the global economy, according to Xinhua.
According to Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping, China has been the world's second-largest import market for 16 consecutive years, with its goods and service imports set to top 15 trillion U.S. dollars during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).
Today, the CIIE has evolved from a platform for showcasing results into a magnet for global resources and a hub for building substantial partnerships.
SHANGHAI, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world's first national-level exposition dedicated to imports, opened in Shanghai on Wednesday, showcasing China's firm commitment to global cooperation, which injects much-needed certainty and stability into the global economy.
When delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony, Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged that the country will unswervingly promote high-standard opening up, steadily expand institutional opening up, and advance comprehensive pilot programs to accelerate the service industry's opening up.
The six-day event has set a new record in scale. It boasts participation from 155 countries, regions and international organizations, with 4,108 overseas exhibitors and a total exhibition area of over 430,000 square meters, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
"This is a clear vote of confidence in the Chinese economy and a show of strong support for the CIIE from all parties involved," said Wu Zhengping, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau.
According to Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping, China has been the world's second-largest import market for 16 consecutive years, with its goods and service imports set to top 15 trillion U.S. dollars during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025).
China's ruling party concluded a pivotal meeting last month, approving recommendations for the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, a roadmap that will steer national development through 2030. The document reaffirms China's commitment to promoting high-standard opening up and creating new horizons for mutually beneficial cooperation.
NEW PRODUCTS
Beyond the record-breaking exhibition scale and participant numbers, the event has attracted 290 Fortune 500 and leading industry players. Notably, American companies maintained the largest exhibition area for the seventh consecutive year.
The Volkswagen Group has chosen to once again hold its global board meeting in Shanghai during the CIIE, while Alfa Laval, a Fortune Global 500 company from Sweden, has also scheduled its meeting at the expo venue. Furthermore, the first-time in-person attendance of senior executives from numerous multinational corporations signals a strong determination to deepen roots in the Chinese market.
"Previously, I only experienced the charm of the CIIE virtually. This time, it is my first visit to the CIIE from France," L'Oréal Group CEO Nicolas Hieronimus said. "The CIIE offers us valuable certainty and demonstrates China's firm commitment to high-level opening-up and high-quality development."
The 8th CIIE is displaying 461 new products, technologies and services. Over the past seven years, a series of global and regional debuts at the expo have turned it into a grand stage for showcasing cutting-edge ideas.
Apart from a dedicated focus on future industries like the low-altitude economy and humanoid robotics, the spotlight at this year's CIIE is also on the latest achievements from the world's premier companies in fields such as new-generation IT, AI, and green, low-carbon development
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