The Zhitong Finance App learned that on October 16, the State Information Office held a press conference to introduce preparations for the 9th China International Import Expo. Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong said that in the past year, we have insisted on the “Policy+Activities+Platform” collaborative efforts and carried out nearly 100 “Export to China” activities to provide more channels for high-quality products from various countries to enter the Chinese market. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs, in the first nine months of this year, China imported 16.7 trillion yuan, an increase of 22.3%, the fastest growth rate since 2021. Over the past year, preparations for the Expo have been closely linked to the “Export to China” brand campaign. The main features are as follows: First, joint efforts to enhance international influence. The second is to collaborate to expand China's big market. The third is to jointly release import policy dividends. In the next step, we will respond positively to the demands of our trading partners, continue to optimize import facilitation measures, and promote the Chinese market to become a big market shared by the world.
Shen Weihua, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, mentioned that, on the one hand, they are collaborating with the CIIE home venue to organize exchanges between national industries and inviting enterprise delegations to participate in the round table. Domestic buyers and overseas exhibitors have moved from trading and exhibition to in-depth exchanges, and the “two-way movement” in the economic and trade field continues to deepen. On the other hand, during the conference, we will also publish research reports on corporate overseas, commodity price indices, etc., and launch functional carriers such as the Cross-border Data Compliance Platform and the Shanghai International Trade “Single Window” Digital Credit Insurance Zone to promote centralized signing of a number of cooperative projects, so that every event can become a resource docking node and a starting point for implementing enterprise results.
Shanghai Vice Mayor Lu Shan explained that this year, we will further strengthen the accurate connection between supply and demand, and carry out supporting activities such as the Buyers Gallery, in an effort to facilitate more on-site transactions of orders and achieve new highs in intended purchases. For example, further open up convenient channels to participate in the exhibition, so that the exhibits can enter and proceed smoothly. Eighteen customs clearance facilitation measures have been introduced, and 123 special customs windows and dedicated channels have been set up to achieve “immediate arrival, immediate inspection, and immediate release” of exhibits. The venue has been upgraded and equipped with 1,400 sets of the latest Wi-Fi 7 devices to achieve full coverage of the 5G-A 10 gigabit network. It can meet the needs of 200,000 people online at the same time, adapting to the needs of high-definition live broadcasts and online negotiations.
The transcript is as follows:
Jia Huili, Deputy Director of the Information Bureau of the Information Office of the State Council and press spokesman:
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the press conference of the Information Office of the State Council. The 9th China International Import Expo will be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. Today, we invited Mr. Yan Dong, Vice Minister of Commerce, and Mr. Lu Shan, Vice Mayor of Shanghai, to introduce preparations for the 9th China International Import Expo and answer everyone's concerns. Also attending today's press conference were Ms. Xiao Lu, Deputy Party Secretary of the China International Import Expo Bureau, and Mr. Shen Weihua, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.
Let's first ask Mr. Yan Dong to give an introduction.
Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong:
Thank you to the host. Good morning to all media friends! Hosting the China International Import Expo is a major decision by the Party Central Committee to promote a new round of high-level opening-up to the outside world. It is a major step for China to take the initiative to open up its market to the world. This year marks the beginning of the “15th Five-Year Plan”. The “15th Five-Year Plan” outline clearly proposes to “continue to run the Expo well”. The Ministry of Commerce, together with relevant departments and localities, will earnestly implement it to ensure that the Expo will continue to run as well as possible. The 9th CIIE will be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, and the Hongqiao Forum will be held at the same time. At present, all preparations are in place. At that time, 162 countries, regions and international organizations will participate, 4,142 overseas companies will participate in the exhibition, and the total area will exceed 440,000 square meters for the first time. This year's CIIE will focus on improving the level of marketization, specialization and specialization. It mainly has the following three characteristics:
First, the open background color is more vivid. The national exhibition invited willing countries and international organizations to show a comprehensive image and the situation in the fields of trade and investment. This year, 69 countries and international organizations participated in the exhibition, with more participants than last year; Canada and Sri Lanka were the guest countries, and 5 countries including Moldova and Romania participated in the exhibition for the first time. In the corporate exhibition, companies from the US, Germany, Britain, France and other countries led the exhibition area. Among them, US companies participated in the exhibition area of more than 50,000 square meters, remaining number one for eight consecutive sessions, an increase of 1,500 square meters over last year; Canadian and New Zealand companies had the largest exhibition area ever, and Australian companies increased their exhibition area by 25% compared to last year. With the theme of “Stable Cooperation to Build an Open World Economy”, the Hongqiao Forum will host the main forum and 23 sub-forums; the “World Open Report” and Open Index will continue to be published, and the “Export China Capacity Development Report” will be released to create a “double flagship” report.
Second, the momentum for innovation is stronger. On the one hand, many figures have reached new highs. In terms of scale, the company's exhibition area exceeded 370,000 square meters for the first time. In terms of exhibitors, there were more than 300 of the world's top 500 companies and industry leaders for the first time, nearly 200 “full time” companies and organizations at the 9th edition of the Expo; more than 2,000 “new face” companies participated in the exhibition for the first time. In terms of exhibits, up to now, there have been more than 480 representative exhibits that have been the first in the world, the first in Asia, and the first in China, which have reached a record high. On the other hand, several initiatives have been implemented for the first time. For the first time, an exclusive “Benefit Package” was launched for the first time for guest countries and the “Export to China” annual theme country, tailor-made support initiatives and services, innovatively planned the “inside+outside the museum” exhibition center; created the first global national brand display area; fully upgraded the “Jinbo Sanhui”. Among them, “Boutique Club” first introduced the “Intangible Heritage Workshop”, “Food Club” established a global food inspection area for the first time, and “Art Club” was linked to “China International Fashion Week” for the first time.
Third, shared attributes are more prominent. International organizations participated actively. Six international organizations, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the United Nations Development Organization, participated in the exhibition. Various departments and localities will cooperate, and more than 40 trade groups and more than 600 trading groups will attend the conference to observe the procurement. Chinese and foreign civilizations were integrated and learned from each other, and the scale of cultural exchanges reached a record high. 31 provinces, regions, cities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and 7 organizations made wonderful appearances. Canada, Spain, Kyrgyzstan and other countries also participated actively in the exhibition.
In 20 days, the 9th CIIE will be grandly opened. We are looking forward to meeting with all parties at “Clover” and going to the open agreement together. Let me introduce these first, thank you all.
Jia Huili:
Thanks to Vice Minister Yan Dong, I now invite Mr. Lu Shan to give an introduction.
Lu Shan, Vice Mayor of Shanghai:
Thank you to the host, media friends, and hello everyone! CIIE is more than just an exhibition; it also has a strong sense of trust in Shanghai. Shanghai thoroughly studied and implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's series of important instructions on the CIIE. With the goal of “first-class city image” and “first-class service guarantee”, the main leaders of the municipal party committee and municipal government acted as leaders of the CIIE City Service Guarantee Leading Group. The city's 32 security groups focused on the new situation, new tasks and variables of the 9th CIIE, and made every effort to implement 257 key urban service guarantee tasks. We use the “embroidery effort” of urban governance to ensure the complete success of the Expo, “the more the better”.
At present, all preparations for the city security service have basically been completed. The following mainly describes three aspects of the situation.
The first is to enhance the effectiveness of exhibitors through full guarantees. The intended procurement contracts of the 8th CIIE Shanghai Trade Group have all been fulfilled. This year, we will further strengthen the accurate connection between supply and demand, and carry out supporting activities such as the Buyers Gallery, in an effort to facilitate more on-site transactions of orders and achieve new highs in intended procurement volume. For example, further open up convenient channels to participate in the exhibition, so that the exhibits can enter and proceed smoothly. Eighteen customs clearance facilitation measures have been introduced, and 123 special customs windows and dedicated channels have been set up to achieve “immediate arrival, immediate inspection, and immediate release” of exhibits. The venue has been upgraded and equipped with 1,400 sets of the latest Wi-Fi 7 devices to achieve full coverage of the 5G-A 10 gigabit network. It can meet the needs of 200,000 people online at the same time, adapting to the needs of high-definition live broadcasts and online negotiations. The number of negotiation activity areas has also increased to 19, which is three times the size of the previous edition. Exhibitors can continue to rely on the “6 days+365 days” trading service platform and the “365 Exhibition and Trade Network” to build multiple online and offline trade channels after the exhibition to achieve normalized display transactions.
The second is to guarantee the guest experience for all parties with meticulous service. Relying on a unified map base, this year's CIIE integrates multiple types of transportation resources to build full-process travel services such as rail transit, bus, shuttle, self-driving, rental, and online car-hailing. The “Dr. Jin” app has added intelligent functions, which can customize the entire navigation process from the hotel to the exhibition hall, personalize the exhibition route, and launch a new function of “understanding me, understanding the site, and being able to plan”. Relying on the Shanghai Global Food Fair event, the “Jinbo Food Fair” was innovatively created, and a “Chinese Specialty Snack Zone” and a “Global Food Inspection Zone” were set up, so that all exhibitors and visitors can enjoy China and the world at the CIIE venue. The “package” of entry and exit facilitation was further expanded, and the full scope of online port visa processing was extended to foreign exhibitors invited by the Yangtze River Delta. Ensure the entire guest reception process by implementing the “one group, one policy”. 3,900 “Little Leaf” volunteers are ready to go, of which more than 130 are fluent in French, German, Spanish, etc.
The third is to amplify the comprehensive effects of the Expo through open communication and exhibition center linkage. In terms of communication and interaction, carefully prepare a “1+2+X” conference activity system. “1” refers to the Investment China 2026 Shanghai Investment Promotion Conference, “2” refers to the Pudong and Hongqiao sub-forums, focusing on “openness and globalization” and “science, innovation and intelligence,” and “X” innovatively launched special events such as book presentations, closed door meetings with think tanks, and exchange meetings for young scholars. In terms of linking cultural, commercial, tourism, and sports exhibitions, the “Shopping in China 2026 Boutique Consumption Month and Shanghai Welcome to the Jinbo Consumer Carnival” was held, the “New Trend Launched by the Expo” was launched, and a series of events were held, such as the “CIIE Debuts New Trend”, and organized a series of events such as the CIIE Ticketbook Linkage. In particular, this year, we are planning to enter the “Shanghai Pavilion” of the Expo with the theme of “Shanghai Style: Customize Your Wonderful”. In the same period, the city jointly launched 54 special investment tour routes and 34 investment promotion activities. Through these activities, efforts were made to spread the popularity of Jinbo from “Clover” to the whole of Shanghai.
The 9th CIIE is about to open. We sincerely invite exhibitors from all over the world to join the CIIE. The “more you run the better” of entering the expo, is inseparable from the witness and dissemination of media friends. We sincerely thank everyone for their long-term attention and support for the CIIE and Shanghai. We welcome everyone to continue to report on this year's CIIE and talk about the wonderful CIIE.
Thank you.
Jia Huili:
Thanks to Vice Mayor Lu Shan. Please ask your questions now. Please inform your news agency before asking questions.
CCTV Reporter from China Central Radio and Television:
The “Export to China” brand has been launched for almost a year. What are the characteristics and progress of the “Export to China” brand linkage at this year's Expo? Thank you.
Yan Dong:
Thank you to the CCTV reporter for your questions, and thank you for your interest in the “Export to China” brand event and the Expo. Over the past year, we have insisted on the “Policy+Activities+Platform” collaborative efforts and carried out nearly 100 “Export to China” activities to provide more channels for high-quality products from various countries to enter the Chinese market. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs, in the first nine months of this year, China imported 16.7 trillion yuan, an increase of 22.3%, the fastest growth rate since 2021. Over the past year, preparations for the Expo have been closely linked to the “Export to China” brand activities. The main features are as follows:
The first is to work together to enhance international influence. We invite the United Kingdom, Spain, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Thailand, etc. to serve as the “Export to China” annual theme countries, link global promotion at the Expo, promote accurate connections between high-quality overseas export companies and domestic purchasers, and accelerate the construction of a national-level open brand with high recognition and strong international recognition. The event received a positive response. German business people generally believe that the Chinese hyperscale market continues to unleash development opportunities and that further expanding exports of high-quality products and services to China will help achieve mutual benefit and win-win results; many Egyptian and Ethiopian companies said that these activities have solved difficulties such as information asymmetry and narrow docking channels, and are conducive to continuing to expand exports of high-quality products to China.
The second is to collaborate to expand China's big market. Prior to the Expo, “Export to China” was both “inviting in” and “going out”, holding special matchmaking events in Egypt, Germany, the United Kingdom and other countries to bring procurement meetings to the doorsteps of trading partners; expanding supply and demand docking channels through “entering the local area” and the China Merchants Roadshow to strengthen coordination and linkages with “Invest in China” and “Buy in China”. During this year's CIIE, important buyers' product selection meetings, trade and investment matchmaking meetings, and special events for themed countries will be organized to enhance the effectiveness of the connection between supply and demand.
The third is to jointly release import policy dividends. Since May 1, 2026, China has fully implemented zero tariffs on 100% of products with 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations, making it the first major economy in the world to achieve full coverage of zero tariffs for all countries that have established diplomatic relations with Africa. This year's CIIE upgraded the Asian and African Product Zone to help African countries that have established diplomatic relations seize the opportunity of zero tariffs with China, push a large number of specialty products such as coffee, sesame, and high-quality agricultural and animal husbandry products to cross the mountains and seas into thousands of households in China, and transform macro-level openness promises into visible and tangible order increases and benefits for people's livelihood.
In the next step, we will respond positively to the demands of our trading partners, continue to optimize import facilitation measures, and promote the Chinese market to become a big market shared by the world. Thank you.
Daily Economic News Reporter:
The CIIE has become an important platform for the launch of new products worldwide. How can Shanghai seize the opportunity to gather new products, develop the startup economy as a starting point, and continue to amplify the spillover effects of the CIIE? Thank you.
Lu Shan:
Thank you for your question, I'll answer that question. The “15th Five-Year Plan” plan outline included the initial economy in the national five-year plan for the first time. Meanwhile, Shanghai's startup economy began with the CIIE, and also developed and expanded with the help of the CIIE — the first CIIE landed in Shanghai in 2018. In the same year, Shanghai took the lead in proposing to build a “global new product launch site”, using the startup economy as an important engine for building an international consumer center city. The 8th CIIE showcased more than 3,400 new products, new technologies, and new services. Shanghai's initial economy was upgraded from version 1.0 to version 4.0.
The first is to seize “acceptance” to turn exhibits into products and exhibitors into investors. Shanghai has established a “6 days+365 days” year-round exhibition mechanism. Hongqiao Pinhui has brought together more than 120 countries, more than 6,000 brands, 85,000 products of the same products from the Chinese Expo, and the 8th Greenland Global Commodity Trade Port to promote more than 200 overseas brands to launch their first stores in Shanghai. The online “365 Exhibition and Trade Network” allows buyers who are unable to visit the site to connect. More importantly, through the market feedback brought about by the launch of these new products, the confidence of exhibitors to invest in China has been strengthened — we are seeing more and more exhibitors shifting from “participating in 6 days” to “taking root in China and increasing investment”: some have changed from traders to investors to create a “China produces and supplies the world” industry model; some have upgraded from serving the Chinese market to a global R&D regional center, allowing Chinese innovation to feed back the world. From January to August of this year, Shanghai actually used foreign capital of 11.59 billion US dollars, an increase of 6.9% over the previous year; the total number of regional headquarters and foreign-funded R&D centers of multinational companies reached 1,120 and 675, respectively.
The second is to grasp the “system” to make the first launch more convenient and emboldened. We use the Expo as an opportunity to focus on institutional innovation, financial support, and security support to create a market-based, rule-of-law, and internationalized first-class business environment. In particular, through the country's first inspection facilitation measures for imported consumer goods, the customs clearance period has been shortened from a minimum of 7 days to release on the same day as soon as possible, and it has already promoted the rapid landing of more than 30,000 first-time new products in Shanghai. Since 2018, Shanghai has attracted more than 1,700 high-energy first-run stores from around the world, Asia, and the country, and the “gold content” of the Expo exhibitor launch event is also getting higher and higher.
The third is to seize “radiation” so that the initial economy can leverage the entire city and drive the industry. We have combined the initial economy with the construction of an international consumer center city. During this year's CIIE, we will simultaneously create a series of “CIIE Debuts New Trends” series of activities; for example, at the Lujiazui LU-Link Global Consumer Boutique Exhibition Center and the Zhangyuan Global Debut Platform, etc., to create a new product launch scene; as I mentioned earlier, in addition to the Shanghai Pavilion, we have also set up a “Shanghai Custom” experience zone at the Greenland Global Merchandise Trade Port outside the museum to provide customized consumer services such as clothing, beauty, and jewelry. At the same time, it links with the Yangtze River Delta and shares initial opportunities to drive supply innovation and consumption quality expansion.
We understand that CIIE is the “launch site” for new products from around the world, while Shanghai should be the “launch site” for new global products, and strive to better transform the popularity of CIIE into Shanghai's 365-day “consumption traffic” and “growth growth growth.”
I'll just report these, thanks.
Poster News Reporter:
According to information, the corporate exhibition at this year's CIIE will continue to be large-scale, and many companies have also booked booths early and actively participated in the exhibition. Other than the volume, what other aspects of the corporate exhibition are worth looking forward to? Thank you.
Yan Dong:
Thank you to this reporter for the question. I asked my colleague Ms. Xiao Lu from the Import Expo Bureau to answer this question.
Xiao Lu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the China International Import Expo Bureau:
OK, thank you to the reporter for paying attention to the corporate exhibition. This year's CIIE corporate exhibition will continue the “6+1" pattern, and continue to set up six major exhibition areas and innovation incubation zones, including technical equipment, consumer goods, agrofood products, automobiles and smart mobility, medical devices and healthcare, and trade in services. We will always adhere to the idea of “comprehensive exhibition, professional organization” and focus on improving quality and upgrading, and generally present four major characteristics.
First, the scale is larger. This year's CIIE corporate exhibition surpassed 370,000 square meters for the first time. 4,142 companies from 148 countries and regions have participated in the exhibition, the highest number ever; among them, the three major exhibition areas for medical devices, healthcare, consumer goods, and agricultural and food products have been fully expanded. The Asian-African Product Zone will be further upgraded to help African countries that have established diplomatic relations seize the opportunity of zero tariffs. African companies are also growing steadily in exhibition space, and the free booth space provided to the least developed countries has now increased by 17%. For the first time, we created a global national brand display area, focusing on the guest countries of this year's Expo and the “Export to China” annual theme country, and selected about 100 brands with a long history, excellent quality, and high national reputation. Among them, more than 30 brands have a history of more than 100 years.
Second, the subject is more specific. We are further strengthening the display layout of the entire industry chain, curating “from point to point, reach, and expand the chain”, and focus on cutting-edge racetracks. For example, our technical equipment exhibition area fully covered upstream and downstream enterprises in the entire industry chain, such as semiconductor materials, equipment, design, and finished products, and focused on showcasing technological achievements in the fields of next-generation mobile communications and artificial intelligence.
The third is the renewal of exhibits. More than 200 representative world debut exhibits will be showcased, and a number of cutting-edge achievements empowering the industry and benefiting people's livelihood will be showcased. For example, we have split endoscopic surgical robots, cochlear implants that can detect sound at 360 degrees, 6G terminal prototypes, water-based silicone pressure-sensitive adhesives, and water treatment systems that can simultaneously soften and mineralize.
Fourth, the activities are more sophisticated. Focusing on trade matchmaking, we continue to organize key buyer selection meetings, buyer galleries, upgrade the cross-border e-commerce selection platform, and a series of activities such as the Jinbo Food Discovery Center and the Jinbo V Exploration Exhibition. Focusing on national cooperation, we host events such as special guest country matchmaking, EU medical device trade matchmaking, Asian-African agricultural products special matchmaking, etc., focusing on industrial innovation. Our Innovation Incubation Zone will host about 20 roadshows and exchanges and negotiations to promote the implementation of overseas innovation projects, transform them into real industries, and help continue to expand investment and cooperation. Thank you.
Jiefang Daily Shangguan News Reporter:
Over the past two years, the CIIE Shanghai conference has built an efficient platform for exhibitors to communicate and interact. On the basis of continuing the results already achieved, how can new improvements be made this year? Thank you.
Lu Shan:
I asked my colleague Director Shen Weihua to answer this question.
Shen Weihua, Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce:
Thank you for your question. The Shanghai conference event is an extension of the CIIE and Hongqiao Forum, and is also a useful complement. The 2026 CIIE Shanghai conference will aim for higher level, deeper discussion, wider communication, and greater influence. Currently, we have prepared nearly 100 conference events to focus on building an important platform for linking CIIE resources, industry exchanges and interaction, and trade and investment promotion. This year, we have made new improvements in four areas.
The first is to make the dialogue more in-depth. This year, everyone knows that the theme of the Hongqiao Forum is “Stable Cooperation to Build an Open World Economy”. The theme for our Shanghai Expo event was “Dialogue, Breakthrough, and Symbiosis”, which was divided into six major topics, mainly opening up to the outside world, going overseas, trade innovation, green development, consumption potential, and artificial intelligence. The organizers of the event include international organizations, multinational companies, domestic and foreign business associations, embassies and consulates, and university think tanks. The guest lineup is currently very strong, including speakers at the Hongqiao Forum, academicians from both academies, top 500 executives from the world's top 500, heads of central state-owned enterprises, and leading enterprises in emerging fields. At the forum, wisdom was fully exchanged.
The second is to make the format of activities more innovative. This year, we will focus on hot trends such as WTO reform, new trends in the globalization of Chinese enterprises, and AI empowering enterprises to go overseas, and innovate formats such as book presentations, host naming forums, think tank dialogues, and exchange meetings for young scholars. There are both open exchanges of opinions and small closed-door discussions, taking into account the sharing of ideas by big names and the voices of young up-and-coming young people, so that exchanges and interactions are more professional and diverse.
The third is to make resource linkage more effective. On the one hand, it collaborates with the home stage of the CIIE to organize exchanges with national industries, and invite CIIE enterprise delegations to participate in round-table events. Domestic buyers and overseas exhibitors have moved from trading and exhibition to in-depth exchanges, and the “two-way movement” in the economic and trade field continues to deepen. On the other hand, during the conference, we will also publish research reports on corporate overseas, commodity price indices, etc., and launch functional carriers such as the Cross-border Data Compliance Platform and the Shanghai International Trade “Single Window” Digital Credit Insurance Zone to promote centralized signing of a number of cooperative projects, so that every event can become a resource docking node and a starting point for implementing enterprise results.
The fourth is to make service guarantees more warm. Offline, we will continue to provide dedicated liaison officers for each event to provide full-process services, supporting news centers, multilingual translation, etc. Licensed personnel at the Expo can enjoy the services and convenience of unscrupulous admission after registration. Online, we will iteratively upgrade the conference event applet to optimize functions such as event registration, registration, and interactive invitation to create a professional and convenient conference participation experience. We also warmly welcome interested companies and representatives to attend the Shanghai conference. Thank you.
China Central Radio and Television CGTN Reporter:
We have noticed that many countries and international organizations are exhibiting for the first time in this year's National Exhibition. Can you tell us about the relevant situation of the National Exhibition and what are the highlights of the China Pavilion? Thank you.
Yan Dong:
Thank you for your question. This question was answered by my colleague Ms. Xiao Lu from the Import Expo Bureau.
Xiao Lu:
OK, thank CGTN reporters for their interest in the national exhibition. The National Exhibition was indeed a major feature and highlight of the CIIE. It also attracted many willing countries and international organizations to show a comprehensive image and situation in the fields of trade, investment, and cultural exchanges. In the first eight sessions of the CIIE, 151 countries and international organizations participated in the exhibition. Vice Minister Yan Dong also explained that 69 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in this edition of the Expo, which is larger than last year. Among them, 6 countries and international organizations from Moldova, Romania, Seychelles, Gabon, Somalia, and the United Nations Development Programme participated for the first time, and countries such as Spain, Slovenia, Turkmenistan, and Kenya returned.
Among national exhibitions, the China Pavilion has always been the most prominent presence. With the theme of “Create a New Situation and Win a New Future”, this year's China Pavilion closely follows the “15th Five-Year Plan” new blueprint and presents three dimensions with a future perspective, a global perspective, and an open mind:
The first dimension is to look at the future and create the future in China. China is writing the future with innovation as a driver, developing new quality productivity, and comprehensively advancing Chinese-style modernization through high-quality development. The Long March 10B carrier rocket's offshore recovery, compact fusion energy test device, China Circulation 4, etc. have shown cutting-edge breakthroughs in the field of space and energy; CR450 EMU simulated cockpits, split flying vehicles “land aircraft carriers”, etc., showing innovative achievements in transportation and low-altitude economy, combined display of quantum technology, bionic dexterity, etc., showing the latest progress in the integration of artificial intelligence and reality.
The second major dimension, in China, is selling globally, and buying globally. China is not only a “world factory,” but also a “world market.” In terms of global sales, the “World Supermarket · Digital Yiwu” sandbox debuted. Visitors can intuitively experience the whole process of small products from the production end to being assembled to reach the world; physical items such as the “New Three Types” of foreign trade exports, Jingdezhen porcelain, and domestic trendy IP were exhibited simultaneously. In terms of global buying, China has been the second-largest import market in the world for 17 consecutive years. The cumulative import scale during the “14th Five-Year Plan” period exceeded 90 trillion yuan. The energy levels of open platforms such as the Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Hainan Free Trade Port, and the Xiong'an Comprehensive Insurance Zone continued to rise. Visitors can feel the rise in energy levels of these platforms on the spot, presenting a real opportunity for China to buy globally.
The third dimension is in China, for China, and the world. China actively participates in global economic governance and firmly upholds the multilateral trading system. From the Beidou system serving more than 140 countries and regions around the world, to exporting the largest shield machine model with an excavation diameter of 15.7 meters overseas, to “small but beautiful” livelihood cases where the Zimbabwean water well project benefited 75,000 local people, the China Pavilion vividly demonstrated the fruitful results of high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road” from “sketching” to “gongbi painting”, conveying the firm determination of China and the world to work hand in hand for mutual benefit and win-win situation. Thank you.
Xinhua News Agency Reporter:
According to information, the Hongqiao International Economic Forum will continue to release the “World Open Report” and the “Export China Capacity Development Report” for the first time this year. What are the highlights of the two reports? Thank you.
Yan Dong:
Thank you for your question, I'll answer that question. As you mentioned earlier, this year's Hongqiao Forum will launch a “double flagship” report. The two reports, one based on the world and focused on common openness; the other focused on China and focused on win-win cooperation, which further enriched the forum's international public goods supply.
The “Open World Report” is the sixth year. Adhering to the mission of building an open world economy, the latest World Openness Index will be released, and it will continue to play the role of a weather vane for observing global openness. The report has four main highlights: the first is to gather global wisdom. The report invited well-known scholars from home and abroad to participate in framework design, indicator demonstration, exchange and discussion, and invited Nobel Prize winners and former editor-in-chief of authoritative UN reports to write special chapters to provide a more authoritative perspective for examining global open cooperation. Second, keep abreast of cutting-edge hot spots. Comprehensively interpret international hot topics such as future industrial development, artificial intelligence transformation, digital rules evolution, and South-South cooperation to provide useful lessons for promoting the world economy. The third is to expand the research paradigm. Based on more than 7,500 questionnaires from 40 global economies, the “Where Will the World Open Up” global public survey was innovatively carried out to more truly reflect the general public's experience of openness and closure. Fourth, show open opportunities. The report includes special chapters such as “China Opportunity 2.0” and APEC's “China Year”, showing a panoramic view of the market dividends, innovation dividends, and industrial dividends brought to the world by China's open development, and conveys a clear attitude of China seeking common development and sharing opportunities with all parties.
We will also release the “Export China Capacity Development Report” for the first time. The report mainly has the following characteristics: First, it has a novel perspective. This is the world's first research report to sort out the potential opportunities in the Chinese market from the perspective of trading partners. The research perspectives include “what China can buy” and “what partner countries can sell and how to sell better”, so that “the advantages of each country” can better match “what China needs.” The second is sample selection. Research the export structure of relevant trading partners and the adaptation of products to the Chinese market from the dimensions of economic infrastructure, industrial systems, trade policies, etc., and form an analytical framework that can be replicated and promoted, so that partners at different stages of development can find ways to share China's opportunities. Third, the recommendations are pragmatic. Differentiated solutions are proposed based on each country's endowments to help the countries concerned transform product advantages into export capabilities to China and transform Chinese market opportunities into real development dividends.
China has always been an advocate of open cooperation and an activist for common development. These two reports link open research with capacity building, and promote each other with the Expo and the “Export to China” series of activities, not only contributing wisdom to global open cooperation, but also providing support for all parties to share the Chinese market. Thank you.
Upstream News Reporter:
The Expo has been held for eight consecutive sessions, and demand from exhibitors continues to grow. What are Shanghai's measures to guarantee urban services such as entry, travel, and accommodation to bring a better experience for exhibitors? Thank you.
Lu Shan:
Thank you for your question. Please ask Director Shen Weihua to answer this question.
Shen Weihua:
Thank you for your question. At the 9th edition of the Expo, we aim to “run the more the better”, and are demand-oriented to further enhance the experience of exhibitors participating in the exhibition. Vice Mayor Lushan just now introduced Shanghai's urban service guarantee and some facilitation measures this year. I will add two more aspects to some specific practices.
On the one hand, we will optimize the entire process of participating in the exhibition in accordance with the requirements of facilitation and refinement. For example, in terms of immigration services, exhibitors can rent Wi-Fi devices, buy mobile SIM cards, and exchange foreign currency at the integrated service centers in the arrival halls of Pudong and Hongqiao airports. They can also download the “Immigration Pass EasyGo” app on their mobile devices to order meals, take taxis, and reserve tickets to attractions online. At the time of entry, you can understand Shanghai's entry environment and consumption environment throughout the process. In terms of accommodation guarantees, we sorted out and recommended information on more than 900 hotels and 183,000 guest rooms to provide exhibitors with a stable and high-quality accommodation experience. In terms of travel services, travel systems such as rail transit and rental have been continuously optimized, and special routes to and from the exhibition hall have been opened at the Hongqiao hub and Pudong Airport. Multiple customized buses can be connected to key reception hotels to provide “point-to-point, zero-transfer” services for exhibitors. In terms of catering services, the exhibition hall has established a “fixed store+temporary meal+mobile food truck” catering system. 55 fixed merchants have achieved full coverage of entry-friendly service standards, and can provide services such as foreign cards, credit cards, and Chinese and English menus. Everyone knows that we launched the “Global Food Fair” in Shanghai this year. Of course, we can't miss the 9th CIIE. We will work with the CIIE to launch a special “Global American Food Inspection Zone” and will arrange a “Star Chef” live cooking show. Some of them are also chefs from our Food Competition, which will allow exhibitors to immersively experience cuisines from different countries and regions. In terms of exhibition services, Vice Mayor Lu Shan also explained that we have revised and upgraded the “Dr. Jin” app. After downloading, exhibitors can not only easily search the exhibitor's exhibits, but also find various information such as hotel accommodations and parking guidelines. This year, the navigation function in the museum has also been further improved. The exhibition route can be planned and recommended according to the exhibitor's industry category, corporate characteristics, and negotiation needs, so that exhibitors can take fewer detours and view the exhibition efficiently.
On the other hand, in order for exhibitors to discover more business opportunities and share Shanghai's development opportunities while participating in the exhibition, we designed a joint exhibition center event so that exhibitors can not only “talk about cooperation”, but also “make friends”, and also enter and experience Shanghai. We welcome exhibitors to visit and exchange in Shanghai, and launched investment routes such as the Xuhui West Coast AI Tour and the Minhang Innovative Medical Tour around advanced manufacturing; around the modern service industry, we launched investment routes such as the Pudong Boutique Consumer Experience Tour and the Changning Fashion Creation Tour, and held a series of events such as national industry matchmaking and exchanges to help exhibitors and investors from various countries connect with the city's high-quality industries, enterprises and carriers. We also welcome exhibitors to visit, have fun, and take a look in Shanghai. Up to now, more than 5,000 merchants have provided preferential benefits, covering consumption scenarios such as retail restaurants, cultural and expo exhibitions, key business districts, and specialty shopping districts. Exhibitors can scan the code to enter the “iBuy Shanghai” ticketing area through the promotional page attached to the CIIE ID. They can browse the city's consumer activities, receive related benefits, and enjoy the vitality and consumer appeal of Shanghai. Thank you.
Jia Huili:
Thanks for the introduction, please keep asking questions. There is also a reporter.
Pengpai News Reporter:
CIIE is the world's first national exhibition with the theme of imports. As the venue for the CIIE, what are the new characteristics and new explorations in expanding imports? Thank you.
Lu Shan:
Thanks for the question, I'll answer that question. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the first edition of the Expo: “China's initiative to expand imports is not an expedient measure; it is a long-term consideration facing the world, facing the future, and promoting common development.” Shanghai thoroughly implemented the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, played a role as a platform for the Expo, and actively expanded imports. I understand that there are three main characteristics and three new initiatives.
The first characteristic is that the import distribution function continues to be enhanced. Shanghai is the largest domestic distribution center for imported consumer goods. In the first eight months of this year, Shanghai imported 1.87 trillion yuan, a record high, accounting for 12.8% of the country's imports; of these, clothing, watches, and medical devices accounted for about 60% of the country's imports. At the Expo, the Shanghai Trade Group is also the largest local trade group. The number of buyers this year is expected to reach 130,000. We will introduce more good products from around the world to Shanghai and the whole country.
The second characteristic is that the sources of imports are more diverse. Shanghai has trade exchanges with more than 200 countries and regions around the world. In the first 8 months of this year, imports and exports with more than 20 major trading partners, including the European Union and ASEAN, all achieved continuous growth. Vice Minister Yan Dong just now also explained that after China fully implemented zero tariffs with 53 countries that have established diplomatic relations with Africa, Shanghai's imports from the African region increased by 21.8%. At the same time, relying on the country's first “Silk Road e-commerce” cooperation pilot zone, we are promoting e-commerce platforms to cooperate with more than 40 countries on fresh agricultural products. For example, specialty products such as purple cashew nuts from Vietnam, black diamond pineapples from the Philippines, organic blueberries from Peru, and lamb from New Zealand can all directly reach the tables of all consumers.
The third characteristic is that the level of convenience of imports continues to rise. In recent years, we have launched a series of support measures to facilitate the entry and exit of exhibits and promote the retention and purchase of exhibits. Driven by CIIE's “exhibition transfer” and “exhibition transfer” policies, that is, after the exhibits are displayed, they are converted to bonded warehousing or cross-border e-commerce sales. A number of CIIE exhibits expand the market online and offline. For example, an exhibitor from Ethiopia had an area of only 9 square meters when they first participated. Relying on the Hongqiao Bonded Logistics Center (Type B) “front-store-back-warehouse, bonded display transaction” model, they successfully switched from exhibiting to year-round operation, and the trade volume has already exceeded 10 million yuan.
Next, we will strengthen the “system+carrier+supply chain” collaboration.
On the institutional side, in line with the demand for convenient customs clearance of exhibits with special approval requirements such as animal and plant products, food, etc., it will further speed up quarantine access and promote the efficient transformation of temporary entry exhibits into general trade imports;
In terms of carriers, it will further enhance the energy level of the three national import trade promotion innovation demonstration zones of Waigaoqiao, Hongqiao, and Huaihai Xintiandi, and iteratively upgrade the online and offline transaction matching functions of the “365 Exhibition and Trade Network” and “6 days+365 days” trading service platforms to help more overseas small and medium-sized traders explore the Chinese market;
On the supply chain side, a number of leading supply chain companies will be introduced, global procurement and distribution functions will be enhanced, and an import supply chain network linked to the world and covering the whole country will be built.
Shanghai's expansion of imports is aimed at better achieving “buy the world, sell the world, and benefit the world” — that is, to allow good products from around the world to enter, sell well, and stay, and also allow countries to share the opportunities of China's big market.
I'll answer those, thank you.
Jia Huili:
Thank you. That's all for today's press conference. Thank you to all the publishers and friends for participating. Bye everyone!
This article was edited by Guoxin.com, Zhitong Finance Editor: Chen Wenfang.