The 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) is set to kick off on November 5 and will run until November 10 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. According to the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, this year’s event will feature 3,496 companies from 129 countries and regions, surpassing participation numbers from previous years.
In an interview, Assistant Minister of Commerce Tang Wenhong highlighted that the theme for this year’s expo is “New Era, Shared Future,” and it will coincide with the Hongqiao International Economic Forum. Preparations are nearly complete, with the exhibition spanning over 420,000 square meters, including a main forum and 19 sub-forums at the Hongqiao event.
Discussing the scale of this year’s expo, Tang noted that attendance includes 297 of the world’s top 500 companies and industry leaders—a record high. Additionally, 186 firms and organizations are participating for the seventh consecutive year.
Tang emphasized that the China Pavilion will focus on “Advancing Chinese-style Modernization and Promoting Global Development and Prosperity,” showcasing the latest achievements in modernizing China and enhancing high-level openness. At the Hongqiao Forum, the “World Open Report 2024” and the latest Global Open Index will be presented, offering insights on building an open global economy.
This year’s expo will debut a range of exhibits that reflect new productive forces, covering cutting-edge fields such as high-end equipment, new materials, marine engineering, biotechnology, and advanced agricultural technology. The China Pavilion’s exhibits will also center on developing new productive forces, with an emphasis on future networks, artificial intelligence, and new energy technologies.
Notably, this expo will introduce several firsts, including an innovation incubation area at the business exhibition focused on the digital economy, green and low-carbon initiatives, life sciences, and manufacturing technology—marking both the largest exhibition area and the highest number of projects to date. Additionally, the technology theme area will feature a new materials section for the first time.
The CIIE has become an essential platform for China’s openness to the outside world. According to official data, the first six editions of the expo have showcased nearly 2,500 debut products, technologies, and services, with a cumulative intended transaction value exceeding $420 billion.
