Import expo gears up as China furthers opening-up

SHANGHAI -- The fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE), set to be held a month from now, is in the final preparation stage with foreign companies expecting it to provide market opportunities.

The expo, to be held in China's economic hub Shanghai, is on schedule despite the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, and showcases the country's commitment to further opening up its massive market for shared growth.

FINAL PREPARATIONS

As the fifth CIIE approaches, exhibits are arriving in Shanghai via various means. On Sept 20, the first batch of inbound exhibits, with a declared value of 560 million yuan (about $78.7 million), cleared customs at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

The China-Europe freight train has also become a popular choice of transportation among companies attending the CIIE, said Wang Jinqiu, chairman of Shanghai Oriental Silk Road Multimodal Transport Co., Ltd., adding that this is the second year that the service has delivered products to the CIIE in Shanghai.

According to Shanghai Customs, the peak of exhibit arrivals is expected to occur in October. Shanghai Customs said it will continue to optimize the clearance process of exhibits and provide safe, convenient, and efficient customs clearance services.

Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the CIIE Bureau said the work of inviting enterprises to participate in the fifth CIIE had been completed and positive progress is being made in terms of setting up exhibitions.

Thousands of miles away, Roy van den Hurk, general manager of Theland Global R&D at Milk New Zealand Dairy, is busy applying for his visa to attend the coming 2022 expo.

"China's huge consumer market helps foreign trade enterprises like us to find opportunities in the green food industry and promote global economic recovery," said van den Hurk, who has participated in the event three times.

The expo has helped the New Zealand company to embark on the "fast track" of development in China, van den Hurk noted, as Theland is now even available in supermarkets in small counties in central and western China.