Import expo shows China is further opening for business with the world

That President Xi Jinping will attend the opening ceremony of the 2nd China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Nov 5, as he did the first last year, indicates the great significance the world's second-largest economy attaches to the events, which are part of its efforts to develop an open trading network.

Although the overall exhibition area this year has enlarged to 360,000 square meters from 300,000 sq m last year, it remains difficult for the more than 3,000 exhibitors from more than 150 countries and regions registered for the expo to grab a booth each, demonstrating the strong desire of foreign companies to elbow into the Chinese market by means of the expo.

So far, half a million purchasing agents and individual visitors have registered for the expo. And 18 provincial-level regions and municipalities will showcase their businesses, industries and intangible cultural heritage through more than 140 activities held during the expo. That will provide the foreign companies with direct access to local markets in the vast country.