With just about 100 days left until the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) scheduled for this November, a press briefing held in Shanghai on July 24 unveiled the latest updates on the preparations for this year's expo.

A press briefing on the 7th CIIE is held in Shanghai on July 24. [Photo/CIIE Bureau]

Key highlights from the briefing included details on the Comprehensive Country Exhibition, Enterprise & Business Exhibition, and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum (Hongqiao forum).

To date, over 50 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in this year's Comprehensive Country Exhibition, including first-time exhibitors such as Norway, Benin, Burundi, and the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, said Sun Chenghai, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau.

The Comprehensive Country Exhibition of the 7th CIIE will integrate important time points such as the year of bilateral diplomatic relations, year of culture and tourism, and year of people-to-people exchanges to showcase the achievements of bilateral cooperation between China and other countries. According to Sun, participating countries and international organizations have already begun preparing for the exhibition.

Regarding the Enterprise & Business Exhibition of this year's expo, Sun revealed that the booked exhibition space has exceeded 360,000 square meters. The organization of trade missions and professional visitors is progressing rapidly, with an expected increase in the number of professional visitors at the 7th CIIE.

The 7th Hongqiao forum will feature a main forum and various related sub-forums. These events will include the launch of the "World Openness Report 2024" and an international seminar focused on discussing the findings of the report. Additionally, there will be a special promotion session for the pilot free trade zone to promote the "Invest in China" brand during the forum. To enhance interactions during the forum, efforts will also be made to hold pre-ceremony exchange activities, which are known as CIIE & HQF Gala.

According to the press briefing, the application for the supporting events of the 7th CIIE, which has been open since June 19, will conclude on August 31. People-to-people exchange activities for this year's expo have invited relevant institutions from both domestic and international arenas to organize cultural performances around major bilateral and multilateral themes, aiming to demonstrate the fruitful results of friendly exchanges between China and other countries.

Furthermore, it was mentioned at the press briefing that the General Administration of Customs had issued facilitation measures for the customs clearance of products to be showcased at the 7th CIIE. Services for exhibitors and visitors participating in the 7th CIIE, including transportation, accommodation, dining, and healthcare, will be further improved. Artificial intelligence and digital technology will also be leveraged to provide more intelligent and personalized services for exhibitors and visitors.

Additionally, a new round of the "CIIE Stories" collection was launched globally on July 24, according to the press briefing.

By Zhao Guangmei