Chinese Brands to the Fore at CIIE

The second China International Import Expo is adding a new exhibition category featuring the country's own time-honored brands and intangible cultural heritages.

With a total exhibition space of 3,894 square meters, more than 170 traditional brands and heritages collected from 17 cities and provinces will be displayed.

Aside from a list of 97 shows running throughout the six-day event at the 200 square meter center stage, there will also be live presentations, workshops, and AI simulation curated around the exhibited heritages or brands.

Ten of the exhibited programs are world-class heritages that have been enlisted by UNSCEO. They include Chinese paper cutting, shadow puppets, and the construction of Chinese wooden architecture.

The world's largest hotpot comes from Chongqing. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

One of the highlights of the category is the world's largest hotpot with a diameter of 10 meters. Resembling a swimming pool, the giant pot can accommodate 56 diners at a time, each of whom would have an exclusive mini pot in the front for dipping their food.

Coming from Southwest China's Chongqing, the pot weighs 13 metric tons and requires two containers for transport. This is the second time for the pot to appear at an international fair, after its debut at the 2015 Milan World Expo.

A glazed statuette will also be seen at the second CIIE. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

According to Li Xiaojuan, marketing manager of Dezhuang Hotpot Industry Group, which sponsors the making and exhibition of the pot together with Chongqing municipal government, the company is also planning to reach a deal with foreign food companies, mainly beef and lamb manufacturers, for the value of 150 million yuan.