"Invest in China"—Special Event Presenting Pilot Free Trade Zones at the 8th Hongqiao International Economic Forum (HQF) will be held on the afternoon of November 6 at Hall 4.2H (D1) of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). This event is hosted by the Ministry of Commerce.

Pilot Free Trade Zones (PFTZs) serve as "testing grounds" for China's reform and opening up in the new era and powerful engines for high-quality development on the new journey. Their primary mission is to explore new pathways and accumulate fresh experience for comprehensively deepening reform and expanding opening up nationwide. For over a decade, the PFTZs have adhered to institutional innovation as their core mission, driven by high-standard opening up. They have introduced a wide range of foundational and pioneering reform and opening-up measures, resulting in numerous landmark and leading institutional innovations. These efforts have created more favorable conditions and broader space for businesses of all types to develop and collaborate in China.

This event will focus on western and border regions, bringing together representatives from international organizations, multinational corporations, financial institutions, and business associations. It aims to build a platform to deepen cooperation between enterprises, industry associations and these PFTZs, to support various investors in establishing and growing their businesses there and enable them to share the benefits of the PFTZs' institutional opening up.

Government and corporate representatives from seven PFTZs—Chongqing, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Guangxi, Yunnan, Heilongjiang, and Xinjiang—will focus on representative industries including digital trade, artificial intelligence, aviation, biomedicine, new energy, ice and snow economy, modern logistics, and specialty agriculture. They will share insights on the advantages of institutional innovation, industrial opportunities, and supportive policies in relevant sectors of the PFTZs.