The first promotional webinar for this year's China International Import Expo (CIIE), which was held on Jan 21, was attended by over a hundred German companies, trade agencies, and industry associations.

Hosted by the CIIE Bureau and the German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK), the webinar gave the audience an overall introduction of the expo. During the event, previous participants also gave testimonials and CIIE Bureau and AHK signed a cooperation agreement.

Liu Fuxue, deputy director-general of the bureau, said the fourth edition of the expo will take place from Nov 5 to 10, and that hundreds of companies have already signed up for the event.

"We warmly welcome German companies to continue participating in this year's CIIE, sharing the opportunities of China's economic development and injecting vitality into Sino-German economic cooperation." said Liu.

Jan Jovy, the general manager of AHK Shanghai, said, "The last three editions of the expo have shown it to be an excellent platform for German companies to introduce their products and services to the Chinese market, strengthening their network and establishing contacts."

A total of 175 German companies participated in last year's expo, among which 37 small and medium-sized companies were part of the joint pavilion organized by the chamber, said Jovy.

In a survey of German business in China done by the chamber last year, 55 percent of the surveyed companies said that the CIIE is important to their operations in the Chinese market.

Qiu Yuanling, the commercial counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Germany, said Germany is China's biggest trade partner in Europe and there is still much potential for cooperation between the two countries in the fields of new energy, artificial intelligence and sustainability.

"Recently, the China and EU reached a bilateral investment treaty which will further open the Chinese market," Qiu said. "High-quality products and services from German companies will have greater prospects in China."

Liu Donghai, vice general manager of Rhein Koster, a two-time exhibitor of the CIIE, said the company had during the last expo signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Zibo government and Siemens to build a research and development center in the Zibo High-tech zone.

"The CIIE has given us a valuable chance to learn and engage in exchange," Liu said.

Source：China International Import Expo Bureau