CIIE 2020: Global companies hit by COVID-19 look to Shanghai expo to secure deals
Just one month away, the China International Import Expo comes during a difficult time for many businesses trying to recover from the pandemic. Yang Chengxi looks back at what happened at last year's gathering and what it could mean for companies this time.To get more news about
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The five-day China International Imports Expo is one of the most popular business events of the year.
YANG CHENGXI Shanghai "Anyone who stepped inside this venue last year could tell you why: it attracted enormous crowds."
Over 500-thousand professional visitors came to the second expo looking to secure deals and build partnerships. Apart from businesses, nearly 130 countries also sent official government delegations here.
Chinese companies have benefited from the opportunity to import more high-quality products. For most exhibitors and attendees, it was five days of walking, talking, browsing, swapping business cards and securing deals. The total amount for prospective deals reached more than 70-billion US dollars, 23-percent higher than the first expo.
Given the event's high profile, the CIIE has quickly become a go to choice for more and more companies to debut their new products and technology. Last year, nearly 400 new products launched during the event. And with business hit hard by COVID-19, many companies are looking forward to the 2020 edition.
NAOKO HASE Head of Corporate Strategy Division, SHISEIDO China "This is the second time for Shiseido to join the CIIE. Last year we learned a lot of things through this platform. This year we would like to introduce our new brands which is not launched in China. Through COVID-19, the negative impact is there but Chinese market recovery is very speedy."
CHEN YUGANG President, Fresenius Medical Care (Shanghai) China "The expo shows the latest equipment and technology to the whole industry and boosts the imports and their use for Chinese patients. This equipment and these supplies are tailored for Chinese people and their conditions. We've already set up a factory in Jiangsu province, and we're planning to build dialysis centers and hospitals in China in the long run."
CHRISTINE MUELLER Deputy General Manager, AHK Shanghai "So far the latest data we have is that we have 160 companies signed up, which is very nice. We have big players, we have smaller, medium size companies."
Preparations are well underway for next month. With COVID-19 battering global companies and bringing face-to-face meetings to a halt, experts say this year's CIIE could provide a much needed shot in the arm and help them get operations back to normal again. YCX, CGTN, SH.
