With one month to go before the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE), companies from around the world are preparing to gather in Shanghai in east China, bringing products ranging from advanced manufacturing equipment and medical technologies to African coffee and Syrian soap.

The annual expo, the world's first national-level exhibition dedicated to imports, has become a major platform for foreign companies seeking access to the vast consumer and industrial markets of the world's second-largest economy.

Since its launch in 2018, the CIIE has drawn participants from more than 180 countries, regions and international organizations. Overseas exhibitors have made about 27,000 appearances at its business exhibitions, with over 3,400 new products, technologies and services making their debuts.

This year's event, scheduled from Nov. 5 to 10, comes as China begins its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) with a renewed push for high-standard opening up and stronger domestic demand.

For some companies, this year's CIIE will be their first.

Austria's WFL Millturn Technologies, a machine tool manufacturer that entered the Chinese market more than 20 years ago, shipped its exhibits from the industrial city of Linz in August.

WFL Managing Director Stefan Hackl said the company decided to join the CIIE given China's role at the heart of the global manufacturing chain, and hopes to use the expo to expand further in the Chinese and Asia-Pacific markets.

"I don't see any good reason why we will not be successful in China in the upcoming decades," Hackl said.

Singapore-based Perennial Holdings Private Limited is another newcomer.

The company has established China's first wholly foreign-owned tertiary general hospital in Tianjin in northern China. Since opening, the hospital has received patients from more than 40 countries and regions, while the company is pursuing further healthcare investments in more Chinese cities.

"When you invest in China, you are investing in the most competitive market in the world," said Pua Seck Guan, executive chairman and CEO of Perennial Holdings.

Pua added that China's opening up of its healthcare sector could create more opportunities for foreign investors.

The newcomers arrive as China continues to widen market access for foreign businesses. In 2025, the country registered 70,392 newly established foreign-invested firms, a record high and up 19.1 percent year on year. In the first half of 2026, the number rose 5.3 percent from a year earlier, with foreign direct investment in actual use reaching 402.14 billion yuan (roughly 59.71 billion U.S. dollars).

China is also seeking to expand imports as it works to boost domestic consumption and pursue more balanced trade. In August, imports increased by 21.7 percent, with growth exceeding that of exports for a sixth successive month.

The opportunities offered by the CIIE extend beyond large multinational companies. Nearly 13,000 overseas micro, small and medium-sized enterprises have participated in the first eight editions.

Syrian businessman Muhannad Shakally is preparing for his 9th CIIE. When he brought traditional Syrian soap to the inaugural expo in 2018, he was testing the Chinese market.

Today, monthly orders exceed five tonnes, equivalent to around 20,000 bars. "They sell almost as soon as they arrive. I don't even keep inventory," he said.

This year, he plans to introduce aromatherapy products and Syrian herbal teas, hoping to bring more products from his country to Chinese consumers.

For years, the CIIE has provided free booths to exhibitors from the world's least developed countries. This year, organizers will upgrade a dedicated section for Asian and African products, with measures to help African businesses tap opportunities created by China's zero-tariff policy.

Since May 1, China has applied zero-tariff treatment to imports from all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, while expanding market access through measures including upgraded "green channels" for products such as dried chilies, coffee beans, cashews and wild aquatic items.

An official delegation from Cote d'Ivoire will make its first appearance at the CIIE's business exhibition, showcasing cocoa, coffee, cashews and kola nuts.

"We are very happy to participate for the first time. This will be a good opportunity to showcase Cote d'Ivoire to the world," said Rami Koné, an official with the country's export agency.

Einar Tangen, a senior fellow at the Center for International Governance Innovation, said small and medium-sized enterprises from the Global South, particularly those in Africa, were once on the margins of global trade. China, he said, has provided them with opportunities to share in the benefits of its opening up and development.