The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened on Wednesday in Shanghai. This year’s CIIE will feature 4,108 overseas exhibitors from 155 countries, regions and international organizations, with the total exhibition area exceeding 430,000 square meters — with both the number of participants and the exhibition scale setting record highs.

For the seventh consecutive year, American companies — including FedEx, Coach and Cargill — will occupy the largest exhibition area.  Observers noted that the presence of US companies reflects their desire to continue tapping into the dynamic Chinese economy, while underscoring that China-US trade cooperation leads to win-win results.

A senior executive from the US-based company Rockwell Automation — a repeat participant in the CIIE — said that he saw this year’s CIIE in Shanghai as a vital platform for accessing the economic dividends of China’s high-level opening up.

“As a core player in new quality productive forces, we see great potential at the CIIE to connect a cross-sector ecosystem, especially in new energy, advanced equipment, biopharma, and new technologies,” said Ian Shih, president of Rockwell Automation (China) Co. Ltd.

Reflecting on the firm’s participation in CIIE in past years, Shih said the expo helped the firm “continuously expand our influence within our specific focus areas.” The CIIE helps industrial players break out of narrow circles, allowing this “production-based service chain leader” to broaden its ecosystem.