Expo's message heard loud and clear across the world

As the China International Import Expo's popularity and influence continue to grow across the world, it has performed well in international communication over the past five years, officials and experts said.

The CIIE, as the world's first import-themed national-level expo, has attracted participants from various fields worldwide including politics, business, academia and research, with exhibitors and exhibits hailing from overseas, Chen Chunjiang, assistant minister of commerce, told a seminar on the international communication of the CIIE held in Beijing on Friday.

"The expo has a clear advantage in international communication with its influence and attractiveness growing," Chen said.

Hosted by the CIIE Bureau and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), and organized by China Daily, the seminar invited government officials, experts and business representatives to discuss the enhancement of international communication to increase the CIIE's global influence.

The CIIE is a crucial event for China to open its market to the world. The expo plays a role in the world economy and has been well received at home and abroad, said Sun Shangwu, deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily.

Over the past five years, the CIIE Bureau has coordinated and mobilized resources to establish a multilanguage and all-media international communication network to tell the stories of the CIIE, elaborate on the role of the expo, present a true, multidimensional and panoramic view of China as well as demonstrate the country's achievements in opening-up and its contribution to the development of the world economy, Sun said.

Hu Zhengrong, director of the Institute of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the CIIE is of significance in fields including politics, society and the economy in terms of communication.

Efforts should be made in selecting themes, setting the agenda and getting closer to consumers, he suggested.

Dong Guanpeng, vice-president of the China Public Relations Association, said the CIIE has attached importance to international communication and made remarkable achievements.

The CIIE is a pioneer in international communication, Dong said. He suggested improving and differentiating the discourse, narrative and communication systems, and promoting immersive communication.

Lan Zhenzhen, chief corporate affairs and engagement officer of L'Oreal North Asia and China, said that L'Oreal has benefited a lot from the CIIE in terms of its upstream and downstream partnerships; new products and technologies; its incubation enterprises and its business to consumer end. L'Oreal introduced social media influencers to publicize the CIIE.

L'Oreal also leveraged the opportunities of the CIIE to boost its market growth, Lan said.

"The CIIE is not just an exhibition event for imported goods, but a feast for building our huge influence in China through communication," Lan said.

As a major showcase of China's new development paradigm, a platform for high-standard opening-up and a public good for the whole world, the CIIE has made remarkable achievements in international communication over the past five years.

Since its first edition in 2018, the CIIE has attracted more than 130 countries and international organizations to its countries' exhibition, and thousands of well-known overseas enterprises have participated in the business exhibition. The expo's Hongqiao Forum has seen its international influence broaden and its supporting activities and cultural exchange events have been successful.

Global outreach

Some statistics suggest that the CIIE has been broadcast more than 1 million times via various channels at home and abroad. The expo's overseas social media accounts have attracted more than 1.5 million followers, made nearly 20,000 posts, and reached a broadcasting volume of nearly 300 million.

Simultaneously, the CIIE's official English supplement has published 163 articles so far, with an average circulation of 300,000 per issue. This supplement can now be found in 63 countries and regions with more than 140 million readers.

To improve its communication influence, the expo has used the internet, emails and outdoor LED screens for international promotion.

Characteristics

The internet is the primary communication channel for the CIIE.Over the past five years, international news agencies, such as The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse, have followed and reported on the CIIE, and republished China's domestic media coverage of the expo multiple times.

The CIIE Bureau has also promoted the expo by publishing stories in media outlets, which have been reposted by news websites in different countries. Many overseas trade and economic agencies, industry media, and exhibiting enterprises have also published related articles, registration information and advertisements, promoting the CIIE across various industries.

Social media has played a vital role in the CIIE's international communication. The CIIE has opened accounts across six social media platforms, forming an international communications network. Social media has also been used to launch topics such as "My CIIE Story", which has published 423 articles that received 1.95 million views.

Government officials such as Chinese embassy officials and diplomats stationed abroad; officials from foreign institutions in China; a series of media and broadcast agencies, including People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Daily, CGTN; exhibiting enterprises and exhibitors, have published posts to publicize the CIIE.

Newspapers such as Lianhe Zaobao and Le Figaro have reported on the CIIE, and the expo has been publicized in articles in The Jakarta Post of Indonesia and Bangkok Post of Thailand during the G20 Summit and the APEC meeting in 2022.