Photo shows the decorations outside the venue of the third CIIE. (By Yan Daming, People’s Daily Online)

The overall framework of the third China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled to be held in Shanghai in November, will be roughly the same as the previous two expos, according to Sun Chenghai, an official with the CIIE Bureau.

All the preparations for the expo are well underway and the focus of current preparations has been shifted from recruiting exhibitions to organizing the expo, said the deputy director of the bureau, adding that initial results have been achieved.

It is generally believed that the third CIIE will be a better event due to the following aspects.

Larger Scale

The total planned exhibition area for enterprises at the third CIIE is 360,000 square meters, 60,000 square meters larger than the second expo.

The planned business exhibition space has been completely booked. The contracted exhibition areas of consumer goods, medical care and service trade have already surpassed their planned space and the exhibition area for automobiles is almost fully booked.

Better Layout

Six exhibition areas will be set up in the business exhibition area, food and agricultural products, automobiles, the intelligent industry and information technology, consumer goods, medical equipment and healthcare products, as well as trade in services.

Based on global hotspots and industry development trends, four special subsections on public health and anti-epidemic products and services, smart transportation, energy conservation and sporting goods will be set up during the event.

Higher-level Exhibitors

The number of Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading companies attending the third CIIE almost equals that of the previous two sessions.

Most of the top 10 well-known companies in the pharmaceutical, medical equipment, dairy, cosmetics, high-end consumer goods, inspection and testing, automobile, industrial electrical, as well as engineering and machinery industries have signed up to participate in the exhibition, and many enterprises will debut their new products, technologies and services.

Lager Trading platform

Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub, located across the street from the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), main venue of the third CIIE, is a permanent trading service platform for the CIIE.

It integrates functions such as exhibition and display, purchase and transactions, business services, bonded exhibition and sales, as well as consumption and tourism.

The trading hub has introduced more than 60,000 kinds of overseas products, including more than 7,000 exhibited during the CIIE and over 6,000 from Belt and Road countries. It has also opened virtual pavilions and online malls, launching more than 1,000 kinds of products from 31 countries and regions.

Firmer Confidence of Exhibitors

At the first Conference of the third CIIE Enterprise Alliance held in Shanghai on July 26, 35 member enterprises signed three-year memoranda with the CIIE Bureau, promising to attend the annual event for the next three years.

Most of them are Fortune 500 companies and leading players in their respective industries. They aim to secure long-term and common development with the CIIE, which demonstrates their confidence in the Chinese market.

At the conference, two special committees for the dairy industry, as well as public health and epidemic prevention were founded.

The Enterprise Alliance was established spontaneously by exhibitors during the opening of the first CIIE and has so far attracted 142 enterprises.

Stronger Policy Support

The General Administration of Customs officially issued a customs clearance notice for the third CIIE as well as launched 14 measures to facilitate the entrance and exit of exhibitors and exhibits.

While maintaining the policies for the previous CIIEs, relevant ministries and departments of China will actively innovate and roll out new policies.

Improved Municipal Security

Shanghai will work harder to guarantee better logistics, services and environment, so as to host a CIIE with higher-level and higher-quality, said Shang Yuying, vice secretary general of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, and head of a leading group of municipal security for the CIIE.

The city will make full use of its intelligent monitoring platform, strengthen the application of smart public security system and build a strong line of defense.

It has innovated measures such as prolonging the period of validity of the passes for exhibitors, integrating entry safety and health inspection to improve the experience of exhibitors and merchants.

The city will also optimize the guide signs, especially those for the exhibition areas, transportation, toilets, medical centers and other facilities and equipment, and make them more comprehensive, human-friendly and eye-catching.

Besides, it will improve on-site emergency treatment facilities and designate hospitals for the event, and formulate work plans and emergency solutions, including epidemic prevention and control in all aspects of preparations.