SHANGHAI — The fifth China International Import Expo, set to be

held a month from now, is in its final preparation stage with foreign

companies eager to gain access to more market opportunities.

The expo, to be held in Shanghai, is on schedule despite the

recurring impact of COVID-19, and will showcase the country's

commitment to further opening up its massive market for shared

growth.

As the fifth CIIE approaches, exhibits are arriving in Shanghai via

various means. On Sept 20, the first shipment of inbound exhibits,

with a declared value of 560 million yuan ($78.70 million), cleared

customs at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

The China-Europe freight train has also become a popular choice for

transportation among companies attending the CIIE, said Wang

Jinqiu, chairman of Shanghai Oriental Silk Road Multimodal

Transport, adding that this is the second year that the service has

been used to deliver products to the CIIE in Shanghai.

According to Shanghai Customs, the peak of exhibit arrivals is

expected to occur in October.

Shanghai Customs said it will continue to optimize the clearance

process for exhibits and provide safe, convenient and efficient

customs clearance services.

Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the CIIE Bureau said the work of

inviting enterprises to participate in the fifth CIIE had been

completed and positive progress is being made in terms of setting up

exhibitions.

Thousands of miles away, Roy van den Hurk, general manager of

Theland Global R&D at Milk New Zealand Dairy, is busy applying

for his visa to attend the coming 2022 expo.

"China's huge consumer market helps foreign trade enterprises like

us to find opportunities in the green food industry and promote

global economic recovery," said van den Hurk, who has participated

in the event three times before.

The expo has helped the New Zealand company to embark on the

"fast track" of development in China, van den Hurk noted, as

Theland products are now even available on the shelves of

supermarkets in small counties in central and western China.

Data shows that more than 280 of the world's top 500 enterprises and

industry giants will participate in this year's CIIE, with nearly 90

percent of the participants from last year also joining this year.

Will Song, global senior vice-president and China chairman at

Johnson & Johnson, said that over the last four years the company

had debuted dozens of products at the CIIE, and this year at the fifth

expo it will unveil about 40 new products to China.

China's Vice-Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said the CIIE

has given full play to its role as a window for building a cooperation

platform for those engaged both at home and abroad, and has

become a place for exhibitors to debut their new global products,

cutting-edge technologies and innovative services.