Ninth Import Expo Set to Open in Shanghai, Highlighting New Technologies and Global Brands

The 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) will kick off on Thursday at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. The year's event will see participation from 162 countries, regions, and international organizations, alongside 4,142 companies from around the world.

The ninth edition of the expo features a diverse array of global participants. Among the national pavilions, Canada and Sri Lanka will serve as the guests of honor, while countries like Gabon, Seychelles, and Moldova will make their inaugural appearances.

Companies from nearly all industries, from high-tech to medical care, automobiles, daily necessities and agriculture, will showcase a range of new products and technologies across its six main areas and an innovation incubation zone. A total of 169 companies will achieve "full attendance" by participating in all nine editions of the CIIE.

The healthcare sector is a highlight of the six-day event. Its exhibition area brings together 16 of the world's top 20 pharmaceutical companies, along with the top three global medical imaging enterprises and the top three radiotherapy equipment firms.

An artificial cochlea debuting from Switzerland-based Sonova International is one of the key first-release exhibits this year. Representing cutting-edge technology in the field of hearing rehabilitation, it is capable of 360-degree sound detection.

"The CIIE has built a fast track for landing medical innovations, enabling a large number of debuting medical exhibits by accelerating their approval and hospital entry," said Liao Jiacheng, an official with the sector.

Elsewhere, the technology sector will feature advanced semiconductor hardware, with globally leading companies like AMD showcasing their latest processors and Qualcomm presenting 6G prototype terminals.

But the event will not only be about frontiers. This year's CIIE is further increasing its support for "Global South" countries. The event is promoting the implementation of the new "zero tariff" policy for African countries which have diplomatic ties with China, effective this year, and has increased the free exhibition space provided to least developed countries by 17 percent.

Meanwhile, the Asian and African product zone has been upgraded to help niche and distinctive overseas goods break trade barriers and clear the path from "exhibits to commodities," relying on dividends such as free booth support and tax preferences for purchased exhibits.

In the area, Gabon will look for potential consumers for its signature Minko hibiscus amber beer, which integrates traditional African hibiscus, making its China debut, as well as its distinctive Lippia multiflora herbal tea.

Seychelles, known as the "pearl of the Indian Ocean," will promote blue seafood specialities like high-end deep-sea wild fish and natural coconut-based skincare products.

Running concurrently with the CIIE is the Hongqiao International Economic Forum. Themed "Stable Cooperation, Co-building an Open World Economy" this year, the forum will feature a main session alongside 23 sub-forums and several closed-door meetings.

Discussions will cover a wide range of topics, including global common openness, global economic rebalancing, artificial intelligence (AI), and green development. The forum will host notable international scholars, including several Nobel laureates and a Turing Award winner.

A key highlight of the forum will be the release of two flagship reports. The "World Openness Report" will be published for the sixth consecutive year, featuring the latest World Openness Index and specific chapters analyzing China's market opportunities and openness initiatives.

Joining it this year is the newly introduced "Export to China Capability Development Report," which analyzes China's market potential and import needs from the perspective of its trading partners.