The "Why Choose CIIE" series, which is part of the ongoing 2023 China International Import Expo Stories solicitation campaign that began on May 21, has achieved remarkable success since its stories were unveiled starting on June 14.

The series focuses on highlighting the motives of exhibitors, organizations, trade missions, and buyers for participating in the expo. As of Aug 22, the 15 stories published have led to over 6,000 related media reports and nearly 300 million impressions. More than 3,000 reports, which were read some 80 million times, were from overseas media.

Drawing from the story of Pacific Alpacas, Hu Tao, the company's manager, spoke about their decision to enter the Chinese market through the CIIE during challenging times. "If you ask me which platform can help us tap into the Chinese market most quickly, my answer will undoubtedly be the CIIE," he said.

Apart from small and medium-sized enterprises like Pacific Alpacas, the series also features global giants like Johnson Controls, which will be a six-time participant of the CIIE this year, as well as newcomers like Japanese brand Muji. While their reasons for choosing the CIIE differ, they ultimately agree on the expo's significance and opportunities.

The series also illustrates how Chinese companies benefit from the expo. One of the stories features a national-level "little giant" enterprise from Shanxi, which found solutions to its technological bottlenecks by interacting with foreign vendors and learning about industry trends and advanced pathways at the CIIE.

The upcoming "In China, for the world" series will show how international exhibitors leverage the CIIE to explore the Chinese market and foster cross-border collaborations.

Bai Ming, deputy director of international market research at the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the CIIE serves as a platform for optimizing global resource allocation. The expo not only showcases China's market potential to foreign businesses, but also attracts foreign investment, he said.

For trade partners engaged in exports to China, the growth and the new opportunities brought by the CIIE are exciting, said Wei Hao, a professor at Beijing Normal University's Business School as well as the dean of the Department of International Economy and Trade at the university.

The 2023 CIIE Stories solicitation campaign, which features five themes, will run until Dec 31. More participants of the expo are welcomed to share their experiences and insights.

By Zhao Guangmei