A promotional conference for the sixth China International Import Expo in Shanghai was launched in Singapore on Tuesday.

Almost 200 representatives from trade associations and chambers of commerce attended the conference organized by Singapore Business Federation, the CIIE Bureau and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).

The November 5-10 expo will be held in Shanghai, China.

The expo stood as a remarkable testament to China's commitment to global trade and economic cooperation, said Roland Ng, vice chairman of the China & North Asia Business Group of Singapore Business Federation, in his opening speech.

"CIIE is a world-class platform that brings together countries, businesses and innovators from all corners of the globe to showcase their products, services and ideas,” Ng said. “CIIE serves as a beacon of international cooperation, fostering mutual understanding and collaboration, promoting an inclusive and open global economy.”

Total sales achieved and declared by the Singapore Pavilion exhibitors at the fifth expo amounted to SGD $100 million including onsite sales, sales under negotiation and sales expected over the next 12 months, Ng said.

Zhong Manying, the economic and commercial minister-counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, said that the CIIE was strong proof of China's adherence to opening-up.

"China's economy expanded 4.5 percent in the first quarter of 2023, a large part of which came from consumption, which proves the recovery of the vitality of the Chinese market,” Zhong said. “At present the flight exchanges between China and Singapore are being resumed and enterprises of the two countries have a need for in-depth cooperation with each other.”

Liu Fuxue, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, said at the promotion meeting that the prospects for the development of cooperation between China and Singapore were “very broad” and “CIIE is a good opportunity and a big platform to achieve practical results.”

Lydia Zheng, founder of EE Music Tech Singapore, said at the conference that she participated in the expo for the first time in 2022 and was “very impressed”.

"CIIE is an important platform not to be missed in the Chinese market, especially for emerging Singapore brands,” Zheng said. She would participate this year, she said.

By Zhao Yipu