My CIIE Story • Grand Strategy: Expo guarantees a brighter future

Editor's Note: This year marks the 5th anniversary of the China International Import Expo. The CIIE Bureau and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) launched the "My CIIE Story" activity on June 1 to invite people who were involved in the previous CIIEs to share their stories and have received a large number of warm responses so far. We are going to publish the excellent works of "My CIIE Story" in succession. In July, the stories will center on "grand strategy", which showcases the CIIE's role in promoting key national strategies, diplomatic relationships and international public good. Let's follow the words written by the authors and look back on their wonderful moments from the past five years.

It will be a little more than three months until I attend the CIIE in November again.

In 2021, I was appointed chairman of China SDIC International Trade Co and attended the fourth CIIE that year for the first time. Our company, which is the branch of State Development and Investment Corp (SDIC) specializing in trade, new materials and Belt and Road Initiative-related businesses, signed tentative deals with 19 foreign companies to purchase about $1 billion worth of goods including barley, cotton, manganese, edible oil, and meat. This value of intended deals was our highest in all editions of the expo.

During the signing ceremony, I spoke with Fernando Lugris, Uruguay's ambassador to China, and he said he was upbeat about China's economic development. I then went to the booths of our suppliers to view their latest products and innovations after the ceremony.

The CIIE has strengthened our cooperation with old partners and also brought new partners. The expo helps connect domestic and foreign markets and promote global development.

China SDIC International Trade Co has been a member of the State-owned enterprise trade mission to the CIIE since 2018. To date, the company has reached $3.47 billion in tentative procurement deals with 51 foreign exhibitors during the expo and $1.91 billion worth of agreements were signed with companies from countries along the Belt and Road, accounting for 55 percent of the total.

Some of our new partners were suspicious of our intentions at the start, but our efforts to fulfill the agreements always allayed their concerns. Last year, one of our partners said in an interview that China had become the largest export market for Cambodian bananas and orders from China SDIC International Trade Co had generated more benefits for local farmers. I felt very proud when learning of this.

China's efforts in further opening-up have unveiled its huge market potential and attracted a large number of foreign businesses. Chinese companies should grasp the chance and make efforts to ensure stable industrial and supply chains.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been raging for more than two years and caused severe impact on global trade. But the CIIE, which will take place year after year, has bolstered the confidence of foreign trade companies, including us. I am looking forward to the fifth CIIE, which I believe will bring enormous opportunities.

Wu Shiyong has been the chairman of China SDIC International Trade Co since 2021. He has won the second prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award four times.