On January 25, a roadshow of CIIE was jointly held by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China International Import Expo Bureau (CIIE Bureau) and the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag, DIHK) in Munich. The event was attended by over 120 German businessmen and politicians from DIHK, Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, IHK Schwaben and other departments and enterprises, as well as the Chinese Consulate General in Munich and representatives of the Economic and Commercial Counsellor’s Office of the Chinese Embassy in Germany. The roadshow team visited Madrid and Paris in tandem earlier.

Mr. Zhai Qian, Deputy Director-General of the Department of European Affairs at China’s Ministry of Commerce, firstly briefed the participants on the general facts and major features of the first CIIE. He said that CIIE would be the first national-level import-themed expo in the world, and a pioneering event in the field of world trade. With the launch of the expo, China will create an open platform where all the countries in the world may showcase their development achievements and establish international trade partnership to enhance economic globalization and pave the way for the emergence of a community of shared future. According to Mr. Zhai Qian, CIIE will be characterized by its great influence, a multitude of support policies and professionalism. The Chinese government will offer targeted preferential policies in terms of customs clearance, inspection and quarantine, intellectual property rights protection, etc.　　

In her speech, Ms. Mao Jingqiu, Consul General of China in Munich, said that CIIE would create a new platform for China-Germany cooperation. China and Germany are both exponents of and winners in economic globalization and free trade. As each other’s largest regional trade partners, the bilateral trade of the two accounts for one thirds of the trade volume between China and Europe. “Made in Germany” is acclaimed in China as German products are highly trusted by Chinese consumers. She believed that the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries would demonstrate greater prospect with China’s further opening-up. The only promotional event of CIIE in Germany took place in Munich, which highlighted the Chinese organizers’ faith in the economic strength and influence of the city and the State of Bavaria, as well as the prospect of partnership between local enterprises and their Chinese counterparts. CIIE will prove to be an important opportunity for the enterprises in the State of Bavaria, especially those SMEs that intend to expand to the Chinese market. She hoped that German participants would make the best of the platform of CIIE to display their competitive products, technologies and services.　　

Ms. Gabriele Fink, Representative of the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, said that Germany appreciated and had put a premium on CIIE. The State of Bavaria has a cherished history of working with Chinese partners, which has laid the groundwork for future cooperation. Currently, China is the third largest trade partner of the state whose competitive products have shown huge prospects in the Chinese market. As its economy is being transformed from an investment-driven one to a consumption-driven one, China will bring positive effects on the world economy and tremendous opportunities for enterprises in the state.

Ms. Vera Philipps, head of the East Asia Department of the DIHK, said that, after communicating with Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), DIHK decided to assume the role of CIIE’s organizer in Germany and encourage German enterprises to showcase their competitive products and services through the new platform. At the moment, China is one of the three investment destinations most wanted by German enterprises. She believed that CIIE would help them have a better understanding of and expand to the Chinese market.

Mr. Gao Zhiqiang, head of the Exhibition Solicitation Office at CIIE Bureau, briefed on the preparations for the expo and answered the questions raised by participating enterprises. German enterprises were very enthusiastic about taking part in the expo after the roadshow. Eleven enterprises, including BMW, Siemens, SAP, Messe Frankfurt and Preh GmbH, either signed letters of intent or confirmed their participation. During the visit, the roadshow team also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation with CIIE’s organizers in Germany, namely DIHK and IHK Schwaben.