Photo taken on Oct. 23, 2021 shows the south square of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), a main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai. [Xinhua/Fang Zhe]
The upcoming 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE), which will attract nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions, is a platform to promote global free trade and international cooperation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his remarks at the previous import expos, has demonstrated to the world China's commitment to opening up even wider, promoting global win-win cooperation, and contributing to building an open world economy based on innovation and inclusiveness.
"Through the CIIE and other platforms of opening up, we will continue to support companies from around the world in exploring business opportunities in China. We will tap into the growth potential of foreign trade with a view to boosting growth in international trade and the world economy," Xi said in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third CIIE held in Shanghai in 2020.
From 2018 to 2020, the intended turnover of previous three import expos reached about 201.6 billion U.S. dollars, contributing significantly to global trade growth and world economic development.
A "Jinbo" China-Europe freight train is seen upon its arrival in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 29, 2021, marking the first time for exhibits of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to be sent by the freight train to the city. [Xinhua/Ding Ting]
China will "stay committed to openness, cooperation and unity for win-win results," and "steadfastly expand all-round opening up and explore more efficient ways to connect domestic and foreign markets and share factors of production and resources," Xi said.
"Our aim is to turn the China market into a market for the world, a market shared by all, and a market accessible to all. This way, we will be able to bring more positive energy to the global community," he added.
China has been the world's second-largest importer for 11 consecutive years, the Ministry of Commerce said in October.
In the first half of the year 2021, China's imports of goods accounted for around 12 percent of the world's total, and the country also contributed to 15 percent of the increase in imports worldwide during the period, the ministry said.
"Faced with the challenges brought by economic globalization, we must not allow unilateralism or protectionism to undermine the international order and international rules. Rather, we need to reform the global economic governance system in a constructive way to better seize opportunities and avoid harm," Xi noted.
Workers build a pavilion at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), a main venue for the fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China's Shanghai, Oct. 29, 2021. [Xinhua/Fang Zhe]
"Guided by a vision of global governance based on extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, we need to safeguard the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization as its cornerstone, improve the rules of global economic governance, and build an open world economy," he added.
Xi, in previous CIIEs, also called for opening up and international cooperation.
In a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the second CIIE in 2019, Xi said "we must have a more open mindset and take more open steps, and work together to make the pie of the global market even bigger."
"We need to strengthen the mechanisms for sharing benefits globally, and explore new ways of international cooperation. The goal is to give more impetus to economic globalization and remove impediments as much as we could," he added.
