On June 17 local time, a business roundtable for the upcoming eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE) took place in Madrid, Spain, gathering participants from over 10 local promotional trade agencies, business associations, and companies, including Aragón Exterior, Asociación Internacional de Economía de la Tierra (AIET), Spanish Business Angels Investing Association (AEBAN), Spanish Interprofessional Association of Poultry Meat (AVIANZA), Spanish Inter-professional Agri-Food Organization for White Pork (INTERPORC), and the Spanish Olive Oil Interprofessional Organization.

Chang Hexi, counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Spain, delivers a speech.

Chang Hexi, counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Spain, delivered remarks noting that since its inauguration in 2018, the CIIE has played a significant role in promoting trade between China and other countries as a vital bridge for both bilateral and multilateral economic and trade cooperation. He emphasized that Spain is an important partner of China, with close political ties and fruitful trade relations. The Chinese side has been working to introduce high-quality Spanish products into its market, and local businesses in Spain have shown strong interest. He expressed confidence that the CIIE will help Spanish participants find partners in China and expand exports. The embassy's Economic and Commercial Counsellor's Office will continue to provide strong support to Spanish participants in the CIIE.

Li Guoqing, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, delivers a speech.

Li Guoqing, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, said in his speech that the CIIE, the world's first national-level expo themed on imports, has been successfully held for seven consecutive years as an important platform for international procurement, investment promotion, people-to-people exchange activities, and open cooperation. The CIIE represents China's efforts to proactively open its market, offering more opportunities to global trade partners. He noted that preparations for the eighth CIIE are progressing steadily, with over 280,000 square meters of exhibition space already booked for the Corporate Pavilion. He encouraged various Spanish organizations and enterprises to participate as organizers, exhibitors, or visitors, bringing more Spanish specialty products, technologies, and services to China for shared benefits.

Angel Prieto, vice president of external affairs and director at La Asociación Nacional de Centros Europeos de Empresas e Innovación (ANCES), said that China is a massive consumer market, and the CIIE offers a valuable opportunity for Spanish businesses to join it. The CIIE enables companies to engage directly with Chinese market entities and authorities, giving them the opportunity to learn from them. Currently, Spain's exports to China mainly include food, agricultural products, and consumer goods. He expressed the hope that more technology and innovation companies from Spain can enter the Chinese market through presence at the CIIE.

He Xiaoliang, deputy general manager of ICBC Europe, S.A., Sucursal en España, noted that as a comprehensive partner of the CIIE, ICBC has actively supported exhibitor recruitment, promotional activities, and side events of the CIIE, helping Spanish exhibitors showcase their brands, products, and technologies. This year, ICBC will continue to provide a full suite of financial services for exhibitors, including cross-border settlement, trade finance, and foreign exchange risk management. He welcomed more Spanish enterprises to participate in the eighth CIIE this autumn.

During the roundtable, the CIIE Bureau, represented by Li Guoqing, signed a memorandum of cooperation for the upcoming eighth CIIE with ANCES.

The roundtable was co-hosted by the CIIE Bureau, the Chinese Embassy in Spain, and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). Event organization was shouldered by ICBC Madrid Branch with support from ANCES.

While in Spain, the CIIE working team visited Spanish Venture Capital & Private Equity Association, Fira Barcelona, the Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, and Grifols, engaging in in-depth discussions on participation in the eighth CIIE. The Spanish business community expressed extensive enthusiasm for the CIIE and affirmed their intention to participate and explore opportunities within China’s vast market. Support also came from Bank of China Lisbon Branch.

By Li Hanmeng