Photo taken on Nov. 3, 2020, shows a view of the Trade in Services exhibition area of the 3rd China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, east China. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)
TRADE PROPELLER
The expo, designed by Xi, is the world's first import expo held at the national level, an innovation in the history of global trade.
Since its debut, the platform for international procurement, investment promotion, cultural exchange, and open cooperation has now evolved into an international public good for the world.
The inaugural expo in 2018 drew more than 3,600 exhibitors from 172 countries, regions and international organizations, and attracted more than 400,000 buyers, who agreed on some 57.83 billion dollars of intended deals in six days.
The second expo was attended by exhibitors from a total of 181 countries, regions and international organizations, and attracted more than 3,800 enterprises who reached 71.13 billion dollars worth of tentative deals for one-year purchases of goods and services.
Cecilia Qi, vice president and general manager of Pharma and Vaccines, GSK China, said CIIE provides China with a platform to embrace openness and showcase innovative results, and also brings opportunities for mutual benefits and inclusiveness to the world.
The CIIE has generated "spillover effect" that keeps accelerating the reception of many innovative products in China, she said.
Jerry Zhang, executive vice chairman and CEO of Standard Chartered Bank (China) Limited, said "China is transforming from a large trading country to a trading powerhouse, and has become an important engine of economic globalization and a stabilizing factor in international trade."
