A promotional event for the fruit exhibition at the fifth China International Import Expo was held online on May 25.

Representatives from more than 200 companies in the fruit industry and many experts shared their insights about the opportunities and challenges in the Chinese market during the event.

Chinese consumers have a growing demand for high-quality fruits and the imported fruit market in China boasts enormous growth potential, said Zhang Weimin, assistant president of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the venue for the CIIE.

Zhang added that China's fruit market was valued at 1 trillion yuan ($148.56 billion) and that fruit import volume had hit a record high in 2021.

Zhang Juan, a researcher at the Institute of International Business of the Shanghai University of International Business and Economics, spoke about the influence that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has on fruit imports.

Officials from the China Chamber of Commerce of I/E of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products, the Shanghai office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and other institutions also exchanged views on the impact of technologies, such as metaverse and block chain, on the marketing and sales of fruits and foods.

By Zhao Luyang