A 20-meter-long patrol vessel from Italy has become the first exhibit to enter the venue of the upcoming second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.

The FSD 195 fast patrol boat, made by Italian shipbuilder Ferretti, will make its Asian debut at the expo, which will be held from Nov. 5 to 10.

Over 170 Italian companies are scheduled to take part in the expo, showcasing a variety of lifestyle and luxury products such as sports cars and fashion pieces.

Daniel Chen, chief representative of Ferretti's Shanghai office, said the Italian company looks forward to potential buyers and partners for its security boats during the fair.

Since showcasing its luxury yachts at last year's CIIE, Ferretti sold several large yachts to Chinese consumers and has boosted its brand awareness in China, he said.

Luxury vehicle manufacturer Maserati is another Italian enterprise that will attend the CIIE for a consecutive second year.

Two years ago, China became Maserati's second-largest market, trailing only North America, Mirko Bordiga, managing director of Maserati China, told Xinhua.

"In 2005, we sold 65 cars in China. Last year, we sold close to 8,000," Bordiga said, adding that Maserati buyers in China are 34 years old on average, compared with 50 in the rest of the world.

A brand under the Fiat Chrysler Automobile Group, Maserati will showcase "the entire range" of its new cars, including two special editions, at its 200-square-meter booth at this year's CIIE, said Bordiga.

"The point (of attending CIIE) is showcasing our brand, our technology, our presence in the Chinese market so we can play our part in China's development and opening up," he said.

In the next three years, Maserati will launch 10 new cars and by 2023 each Maserati car will have an electric version, Bordiga said.

"All these new products will also come to China. And given the fast development of electric cars in China, we are very confident that with these cars, we can reach even younger Chinese customers," he said.

Having lived in China for 15 years, Bordiga said the two countries shared many similarities, such as a love for food, family, good life and a hard-working spirit.

Ferrero, the third-largest chocolate and confectionery company in the world, aims to double its sales volume in China in the following five years, Mauro De Felip, general manager of Ferrero China, told Xinhua.

"China is a core priority for Ferrero in terms of growth in the future. The middle class in China is already quite big, and is expected to grow even bigger," said De Felip.

In the past six years, Ferrero has been growing steadily in China, reaching 28 percent of market shares, up almost 10 percentage points, according to the research firm Nielsen Cooperation.

Due to the differences in eating habits, the per-capita consumption of chocolate in China remains relatively small compared with European markets, therefore Ferrero needs to "look beyond chocolate," said De Felip.

"We need to look larger and look into opportunities in other markets and categories, like biscuits and confectionery goods, which are big markets in China," he said.

Earlier this year, an affiliate of Ferrero acquired Kelsen Group, which makes cookies and baked snacks under the brands Royal Dansk and Kjeldsens.

At the upcoming CIIE, Ferrero will launch its Kinder Happy Hippo biscuits on the Chinese market, as part of its long-term plan to introduce sweeter packaged food in China.

"We consider it (CIIE) a good opportunity to showcase our portfolio, meet a lot of stakeholders and get firsthand feedback from potential customers," said De Felip.