This photo taken on April 10, 2025 shows the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center, the main venue of the upcoming fifth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu)
From Sunday to Friday, the 5th China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) is being held in South China's Hainan Province. With the theme "share open opportunities, co-create a better life," this grand event sends multiple positive signals to the world: The Chinese economy is full of vibrant vitality, the pace of China's high-quality development and expansion of opening-up is steady and strong, domestic consumer demand continues to upgrade steadily, and China's efforts to deepen trade cooperation and stabilize global supply chains have garnered resonance worldwide.
At a time when trade protectionism and unilateralism are on the rise, the CICPE interprets the value of global free trade through open cooperation. This year's expo has attracted over 1,700 consumer companies from 71 countries and regions, showcasing more than 4,100 brands, which sets a new historical high. The UK, as the guest of honor, has an exhibition area of over 1,300 square meters, with the number of exhibiting brands doubling compared to the previous edition. The event features countries such as Slovakia, Singapore, and Brazil, which are attending for the first time, as well as "regulars" like Burberry from the UK and Thai company TCP Group, both of which have participated for five consecutive years. The continuous expansion of the "international circle" demonstrates that the expo has become a "supermarket" where countries' competitive products vie for attention. These brands not only cast a vote of confidence in the Chinese market but also provide a strong boost to economic globalization.
What makes the CICPE so attractive? Mark Clayton, chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce South China, noted that considerable capital, potential sales volume, and untapped market share still exist within China's dynamic consumer sector. Two recently released data points truly reflect China's strong domestic demand potential. First, China has seen over 100 million new home appliances sold under its consumer goods trade-in program; second, China's express delivery volume has surpassed 50 billion parcels - 18 days earlier than last year. Behind these numbers lies the strong momentum of consumption upgrading among China's more than 1.4 billion people. The CICPE bridges China and the world, facilitating Chinese companies in offering more high-quality consumer goods to the global market, while also opening a "global shopping cart" for Chinese consumers, inviting countries worldwide to share in the opportunities of the Chinese market.
As an active practitioner in the development of new quality productive forces, China has opened a window to a better life for global consumers through the CICPE, injecting strong momentum into the recovery of the world economy. This year's CICPE has established a New Consumer Technology Exhibition Area for the first time, with cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, low-altitude economy, and smart travel becoming the focal points. Unitree Robotics launched the country's first humanoid robot G1 of a mass production version, along with an intelligent robotic dog, while Ti5 Robot showcased lightweight joint modules and smart dexterous hands. BrainCo presented bionic limbs and brain-machine interface devices. These technologies not only refresh the consumer experience but also have the potential to become "catalysts" for driving industrial transformation.
China's door to opening-up is widening, and the resonance effect of policy innovation and market vitality is significant. The year 2025 marks the establishment of independent customs operations for the Hainan Free Trade Port. Hainan allows visa-free entry for ordinary passport holders from 77 countries. The Hainan port provides 24-hour support for CICPE exhibition items, allowing for "immediate release upon arrival." Additionally, duty-free shopping on the island offers a "buy and pick-up" method for convenience. These measures provide international exhibitors with a "zero-distance" exhibition experience and enable international products to quickly reach consumers. Furthermore, leveraging the platform of the CICPE, many exhibitors have transformed into investors, with many establishing international business headquarters, processing and production bases, or supply chain centers in Hainan. These practices go beyond mere commodity transactions, making the CICPE a "testing ground" for multilateral cooperation.
Currently, China's economy is at a critical stage of transformation and upgrading, and establishing a development model led by domestic demand and driven by consumption is an urgent task. Especially in the context of facing unilateral tariffs and external challenges posed by protectionism, the CICPE will not only promote domestic consumption and economic growth - leading to consumption upgrades through high-quality development - but will also assist Chinese foreign trade enterprises in exploring diversified export paths. These enterprises can adjust production plans in a timely manner according to market needs and enhance product competitiveness, thereby taking the initiative amid the complex changes of the international trade environment.
"The Chinese economy is not a pond, but an ocean." As China's economy continues to develop, it provides more opportunities for the world. From this CICPE, we see China's unwavering determination and courage to promote high-level opening-up, as well as the effectiveness of activating the domestic-international dual circulation. The blue skies and clear seas of the Hainan Free Trade Port not only nurture cooperation opportunities but also inspire global confidence with certainty, gathering a mighty tide of win-win development.
