A view of the second CIIE venue in Shanghai on Sunday Photo: VCG

A Ferrari F1 race car displayed during the first CIIE forum on November 6, 2018 Photo: VCG

A 20-meter-long patrol vessel from Italy has become the first exhibit to enter the Shanghai venue of the upcoming second China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The FSD 195 fast patrol boat, made by Italian shipbuilder Ferretti, will make its Asian debut at the expo, which will be held from November 5 to 10.

Over 170 Italian companies are scheduled to take part in the expo, showcasing a variety of lifestyle and luxury products such as sports cars and fashion pieces.

Daniel Chen, the chief representative of Ferretti's Shanghai office, said the Italian company looks forward to meeting potential buyers and partners for its security boats at the fair.

Since showcasing its luxury yachts at last year's CIIE, Ferretti has sold several large yachts to Chinese consumers and has boosted its brand awareness in China, he said.

Luxury vehicle manufacturer Maserati is another Italian enterprise that will attend the CIIE for a second year.

Two years ago, China became Maserati's second-largest market, trailing behind only North America, Mirko Bordiga, managing director of Maserati China, told the Xinhua News Agency.

"In 2005, we sold 65 cars in China. Last year, we sold close to 8,000," Bordiga said, adding that customers in China have an average age of 34, compared with 50 in the rest of the world.

Maserati will showcase "the entire range" of its new cars, including two special editions, at its 200-square-meter booth at this year's CIIE, said Bordiga.

"The point [of attending the CIIE] is showcasing our brand, our technology, our presence in the Chinese market so we can play our part in China's development and opening-up," he said.

In the next three years, Maserati will launch 10 new cars, and by 2023 each Maserati car will have an electric version, Bordiga said.

"All these new products will also come to China. And, given the fast development of electric cars in China, we are very confident that with these cars, we can reach even younger Chinese customers," he said.

Having lived in China for 15 years, Bordiga said that the two countries shared many similarities, such as a love for food, family, a good life and a hard-working spirit.

Ferrero, the third-largest chocolate and confectionery company in the world, aims to double its sales volume in China in the next five years, Mauro De Felip, general manager of Ferrero China, told Xinhua.

"China is a core priority for Ferrero in terms of growth in the future. The middle class in China is already quite big, and is expected to grow even more," said De Felip.

Over the past six years, Ferrero has been growing steadily in China, reaching 28 percent of market share, up almost 10 percentage points, according to the research firm Nielsen Cooperation.

Due to the differences in eating habits, the per capita consumption of chocolate in China remains relatively small compared to European markets, therefore Ferrero needs to "look beyond chocolate," said De Felip.

"We need to look larger and look into opportunities in other markets and categories, like biscuits and confectionery goods, which are big markets in China," he said.

Earlier this year, an affiliate of Ferrero acquired Kelsen Group, which makes cookies and baked snacks under the brands Royal Dansk and Kjeldsens.

At the upcoming CIIE, Ferrero will launch its Kinder Happy Hippo biscuits in the Chinese market, as part of its long-term plan to introduce sweeter, packaged foods in China.

"We consider [the CIIE] a good opportunity to showcase our portfolio, meet a lot of stakeholders and get firsthand feedback from potential customers," said De Felip.

Reinforcing presence

Italian firms also hope to reinforce and expand their presence in China through the second CIIE.

Tremiterra Massimiliano, manager of the Italian Trade Commission Shanghai Office, said that at least 125 Italian firms will participate in the second CIIE's business exhibition, showcasing products including automobiles, fashion and luxury goods, furniture and smart home appliances in an exhibition area of 6,671 square meters.

The Italy-China Foundation, the Italy-China Chamber of Commerce and the Italian Trade Agency have booked 2,000 square meters for 90 Italian SMEs to showcase made-in-Italy products of high quality.

"Most of the companies have benefited from attending last year's CIIE. New deals, relationships and exchanges were registered. It was indeed a valuable experience for all participants," said Massimiliano.

Data from the Italian National Institute of Statistics showed the volume of Italy's exports to China increased by 0.3 percent and imports from China rose by 6.4 percent in the first half of this year.

"Most companies will come again, and more new companies have also signed up for this year's CIIE," he said. "We're positive about a future that will see these figures grow further, bringing significant value to both countries and economies."

More participants

More than 200 Fortune 500 companies have signed up for the second CIIE, according to expo's organizer.

The booth area for businesses at the second CIIE will be expanded to 300,000 square meters, and new technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), self-driving cars and the Internet of Things will make an appearance. 

The CIIE will also host an exhibition of high-end consumer goods.

More than 3,000 companies from 150 countries and regions have registered for the expo, and over 500,000 purchasers and attendees have signed up thus far, according to a press conference held by China's Ministry of Commerce in Beijing on Tuesday.

A total of 172 countries, regions and international organizations and more than 3,600 enterprises participated in the first CIIE, the world's first import-themed, national-level expo, held in 2018 from November 5 to 10 in Shanghai.

Deals for intended one-year purchases of goods and services worth $57.83 billion were signed at the first CIIE.