IMPORT EXPO UNDERSCORES COMMITMENT TO HIGH-LEVEL OPENING UP

BEIJING, NOVEMBER 9 /SRNA/ – The China International Import Expo /CIIE/ has shown China's determination to keep opening up to the world at a high level, as well as the concrete results that companies and people from different countries have achieved thanks to opportunities in the Chinese market, China Media Group said.

The expo, held under the slogan "New Era, Shared Future", also highlighted the continued efforts and significant contribution of experts from various fields to improving global economic governance. "As more and more international companies take advantage of the opportunities offered by China's market, innovation and development, the benefits of 'China Opportunity 2.0' will become ever more visible and pronounced," the group said in a commentary. China Media Group said that, as the world's first national-level expo dedicated to imports, the CIIE had become an important platform for showcasing China's new development model and advancing high-level opening up, as well as an international public good available to all countries. This year's expo was marked by a number of significant results. A record 4,142 foreign companies from 148 countries and regions took part. For the first time, more than 300 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders attended, while nearly 200 companies and institutions are taking part for the ninth year in a row. American companies have occupied the largest exhibition space for eight years running. A record of more than 480 products and technologies were shown, either as world premieres or for the first time in Asia or China. The World Openness Report 2026, released during this year's expo, showed that China's openness index rose by 28.18 percent between 1990 and 2025, one of the largest increases in the world. According to the data, the first eight expos attracted more than 27,000 companies from over 180 countries and regions, and intended deals exceeded $580 billion. As a result, exhibited goods gradually found their way to market and exhibitors became investors, the commentary said. It added that nine years of the CIIE confirmed that China was not only the "world’s factory" but also the "world’s market" - not only a major seller but also a major buyer. China has been the world's second-largest import market for 17 years in a row and is the main trading partner of more than 160 countries and regions. In the first three quarters of this year, its imports rose by 22.3 percent year on year. China Media Group said the market was one of the most valuable resources, adding that the continuous expansion of China's huge market was creating ever more opportunities for shared development. China's total retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 50 trillion yuan for the first time in 2025 and are expected to grow by a further 10 trillion yuan or so over the next five years. "It is particularly significant that this year's CIIE was linked for the first time to the annual 'Export to China' themed initiative, and that a Report on Export-to-China Capacity Development was published for the first time," the commentary said. The report analyzes different countries' exports to the Chinese market and their potential, and makes specific recommendations for improving trade cooperation. More and more countries are expected to benefit from the Chinese market through the Export to China initiative in the future. The Chinese market is growing not only in size but also in quality thanks to innovation, the commentary said. It added that this was encouraging international companies to set up research centers and regional headquarters in China and to integrate more deeply into Chinese innovation and industrial chains. "At the same time, the CIIE gives the world an opportunity to see how China continues to advance high-level opening up and promote inclusive economic globalization," China Media Group said. This year marks 25 years since China joined the World Trade Organization, and the country's average tariff rate has been cut to 7.3 percent, close to the average of the WTO's developed members. The exhibition area for products from Asia and Africa was expanded further at this year's expo, and the free booth space for least developed countries was increased by 17 percent. This allows economies at different levels of development to benefit equally from the opportunities offered by China's large market.