The 7th CIIE Photo: VCG

As the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) approaches, preparations are in full swing at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. The 7th CIIE is scheduled to take place from November 5 to 10.

On Monday, exhibitors were seen finalizing their displays, arranging products, testing equipment and cleaning their booths. Volunteers had arrived early to familiarize themselves with the venue.

The exhibition for enterprises at the CIIE maintains an expansive scale of more than 360,000 square meters, with 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions participating, surpassing the previous edition. 

A record high of 297 Fortune Global 500 and industrial leaders are present. Additionally, 186 companies and institutions are participating for the seventh consecutive year, earning the title of "full attendance" at the CIIE.

Exhibitors are looking forward to the CIIE, which has served as a significant platform for international trade and cooperation since 2018, a vital event for businesses around the world to showcase their products and services, fostering global economic collaboration and opening new markets.

"These are agricultural products from our country -- coffee, cocoa and coconuts. This is our first time to be here and we are proud to be at the CIIE," Maip Douglas, an exhibitor from Papua New Guinea, told the Global Times on Monday as he brought boxes of products to the booth for final preparations.

Giguruwa Gamage Sathyajith Prasada, a representative of a tea export company in Sri Lanka, told to the Global Times that the company is participating in the CIIE for the seventh time this year, noting the past editions have been an important platform for driving the company's business in China.

"This time we are excited to launch some new and unique products with innovative flavors, as the Chinese market is very important to us," he said.

The CIIE is an important window for the world to observe and experience the high-standard opening-up of the Chinese market, Teh-han Chow, greater China CEO of New Zealand's dairy giant Fonterra, told the Global Times in a statement.

"It not only contributes to the growth of the Chinese economy but provides more opportunities for multinational companies like Fonterra, by injecting fresh impetus into the development of the global economy," Chow said.

In addition to food and agricultural products, the CIIE also features cutting-edge technologies.

Chinese start-up Vertaxi will showcase the Matrix 1 (M1) electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft at its booth in collaboration with California-based electric aircraft manufacturer Ampaire, according to Vertaxi. The M1 is open for visitors to have an in-cabin experience during the CIIE, allowing a glimpse into a future of accessible and sustainable air transportation.

The M1 is the largest exhibit at this year's CIIE, with a wingspan of 15 meters and a length of 10 meters. The M1 can fly autonomously, covering a distance of 250 kilometers on a single charge, with a cruising speed of 200 kilometers per hour, the Global Times learned from the company.

At this year's CIIE, a new materials section has been established for the first time, creating an international exchange platform to promote innovation and development in the field of new materials.

Merck Group, Germany's leading science and technology company, as the first batch of exhibitors in the new materials area, will showcase its three major business sectors -- life sciences, healthcare and electronics -- presenting cutting-edge technologies and advanced solutions, according to the company. 

SCHOTT AG, a Germany-based specialty glass producer, will showcase glass used in various sectors such as chip manufacturing, augmented reality, electric vehicles and life sciences at the new materials section.

China is one of SCHOTT's key markets, and over the past five years, the company has invested more than 170 million euros ($185 million) in China, the Global Times learned from the company.

According to the Ministry of Commerce, in the previous six editions of the CIIE, nearly 2,500 representative new products, technologies and services made their debuts. The cumulative intended transaction amount has exceeded $420 billion. Additionally, more than 1,130 foreign enterprises and investment promotion agencies have conducted targeted matchmaking across various regions through the CIIE, with many exhibitors opening new stores, factories, and research and development centers in China.