CIIE Empowers Least Developed Countries with Market Access

China’s annual import expo is providing a transformative platform for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs), fostering trade, innovation, and local economic growth, according to Xinhua news agency.

The eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE), held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, is demonstrating how preferential policies and global connectivity can boost small exporters’ reach.

Myanmar entrepreneur Thida Win, CEO of Plan Bee Social Enterprise, showcased fruit-scented honey and byproducts such as beeswax balm and candles at her booth. She said, "The CIIE is a global marketplace in the spotlight. We are looking forward to finding celebrated distributors and unlocking the potential of the Chinese market."

Attending for the second time, Win’s company has already exported honey to China’s border regions. The business trains over 2,000 beekeepers and purchases honey directly from them. Highlighting the CIIE’s role in fostering sustainable development, she added, "We expect to boost our production capacity and farmers' livelihood."

Over 160 enterprises from 37 LDCs are participating this year, a 23.5 percent increase from last year, many benefiting from China’s zero-tariff treatment and policies supporting LDC exporters. The dedicated exhibition area for LDC products offers global visibility and helps small businesses gain a foothold in China’s vast import market.

Afghan carpet company Qadir Rauf Co. Ltd., represented by Hamed Rauf, has participated in all eight CIIEs since 2018. He noted, "I really appreciate that many Chinese like Afghan culture, and we double down on investment in China." The company has established an operations center in Kunming and plans to expand into Yiwu, Zhejiang Province.

China’s trade ties with Africa have also flourished. Madagascar-based Sino-Malagasy Animal Husbandry (SMAH) began exporting mutton to China in 2024. Zhang Ting, executive director general of SMAH, said, "We have established a full industrial chain for livestock breeding, slaughter and processing. Since last year, we have exported over 400 tonnes of mutton to the Chinese market."

Local herders benefit directly. Etsara, a 43-year-old Madagascan livestock farmer, said, "China has changed my life," after seeing his income rise by roughly 42 percent due to SMAH’s partnerships.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization Director General Gerd Muller emphasised China’s crucial role for developing countries: "We appreciate and thank China, especially for zero-tariff access for LDCs." He added, "The Global South cooperation with China offers developing countries greater market chances, and enables technology transfer and industrial development, adding the possibility to end hunger in the world."

The CIIE continues to illustrate how China’s import policies, preferential treatment, and international engagement are accelerating development opportunities for the world’s most vulnerable economies.