Shanghai, China — The seventh China International Import Expo (CIIE) commenced on Tuesday in Shanghai, reaffirming China’s unwavering commitment to global openness and mutual prosperity. As the world’s first national-level expo dedicated to imports, the CIIE has been held annually since 2018, serving as a vital platform for international cooperation and economic exchange.
This year’s expo brings together businesses and leaders from around the world, highlighting China’s role in fostering high-level openness and building an inclusive global economy. “The CIIE signals China’s firm commitment to advancing high-level openness and building an open world economy,” said Jean-Christophe Pointeau, president of Pfizer China. Celebrating its 175th anniversary and 35 years in China, Pfizer announced its “China 2030” strategic plan at the expo, pledging an additional \$1 billion investment over the next five years to elevate its innovative pharmaceutical products within China’s value chain.
Amid global economic challenges and calls for “decoupling” from certain nations, the CIIE serves as a crucial forum for dialogue and cooperation. By uniting diverse voices, it fosters consensus on mutual development and has generated new momentum for China and countries from the Global South to pursue shared prosperity.
Since its inception, the CIIE has prioritized inclusivity, offering support to exhibitors from the world’s least-developed countries. This year, organizers provided over 120 free booths for companies from 37 least-developed countries, enabling more developing nations to participate in a mutually beneficial globalization process and ensuring development gains are more equitably shared worldwide.
China’s focus on developing new quality productive forces at a faster pace has infused fresh dynamism into the CIIE. Innovations showcased this year include flying taxis and AI-enhanced tea production. Over 400 new products, technologies, and services are expected to debut, with a new section dedicated to advanced materials introduced for the first time.
“China’s development of new quality productive forces will not only drive its own sustained economic growth but will also revitalize the globalization process and spur the next wave of technological revolution,” said Marc Horn, executive vice president of Merck and president of Merck China. June Chang, president of Greater China at Boston Scientific, added, “This year’s expo has strengthened our sense of China’s strong appetite for innovation, reinforcing our commitment to increase our investment in China.”
As the CIIE continues to grow in scale and influence, it stands as a testament to China’s dedication to fostering global trade partnerships and driving innovation. The expo not only opens doors for international businesses but also paves the way for collaborative efforts towards a more open and inclusive world economy.
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CIIE 2024 reflects China's unwavering commitment to global openness
cgtn.com
