Gardeners decorate the south square of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue for the China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai, Oct 15, 2022. Photo:Xinhua

As the first major international expo held in China after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the upcoming fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE), scheduled to be held from November 5 to 10 in Shanghai, has entered the final stages of preparation, with the business exhibition, Hongqiao forums and other supporting activities being prepared under the pandemic prevention instructions. 

CIIE is the world's first import-themed national-level expo. More than 280 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises confirmed their participation, of which nearly 90 percent are repeat participants, according to the CIIE bureau.

Several exhibitors have started setting up their booths at the expo as the first group of exhibits including new generation PET/CT and chassis of recreational vehicles were transported to the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai on October 24. 

Notably, the digital expo platform, which was launched for the first time, focused on the technology and equipment exhibition, with more than 350 high-quality exhibitors and thousands of exhibits displaying online. Relying on digital means, VR and other new technologies, the platform provides exhibitors with a broader space to exhibit their products to consumers, according to the CIIE bureau.

It's the fifth year for German life science giant Bayer to participate in the upcoming event. The company will continue to increase its booth area at CIIE by 50 percent compared with the previous year, reaching a record high, according to the company.

Zhou Xiaolan, president of Bayer China told the Global Times on Friday that "the CIIE has become a vivid epitome of China's commitment to high-level opening-up and a comprehensive window for gathering global energy and connecting global opportunities."

Swiss food giant Nestle told the Global Times that the company will bring 300 kinds of products to the expo, including more than 90 items entering the Chinese market for the first time.

It's also the fifth time that US carmaker Tesla will take part in the event. The company will also continue to bring innovative new-energy vehicles to the expo to introduce the latest tech to the consumers.

Apart from the business exhibition, the main Hongqiao forum and a high-level forum entitled "RCEP spurs higher-level opening-up" will be held during the expo, and the World Openness Report 2022 and the World Openness Index will be released, Shu Jueting, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce said at a press briefing on Thursday.

In order to ensure the CIIE will run smoothly, additional supporting work has also been carried out. The Global Times has learnt that medical staff and police officers have been dispatched to the site to ensure the safety of participants. 

From Wednesday, more than 3,000 volunteers from over 40 universities and colleges have been deployed in groups to receive training in order to provide better services during the expo for participants from both home and abroad. 

The confidence foreign companies have on the Chinese market again paid off at the expo in Shanghai, as more than $70 billion worth of intentional deals were inked during the fourth CIIE, according to the authorities. Around 2,900 companies from 127 countries and regions attended the fourth CIIE, with about 422 new products and services launched during the expo. 

They saw the event as a testimony of China's determination to further open up its markets. Such an opening-up attitude has also been an important incentive for them to continue investment in the country in spite of external difficulties.