As a living memory to the Maritime Silk Road and a window to the openness of Hainan Free Trade Port, Haikou's Qilou Old Street architecture bridges Eastern and Western civilizations through its iconic covered walkways.

In this centuries-old historic quarter, every corner carries the aroma of traditional laobacha (Old Dad's Tea), while weathered wooden tables whisper tales of ancestors who journeyed to nanyang (south seas).

HAIKOU — The fifth China International Consumer Products Expo, held in the tropical island province of Hainan, has reaffirmed the country's position as a vital marketplace for global enterprises.

This year's expo has drawn record participation from over 4,100 brands across 71 countries and regions, reflecting the expanding international appetite for engagement with China's vast consumer market and its evolving landscape.

The United Kingdom, this year's guest country of honor, brought 27 companies spanning fashion, beauty, and other fields. Flagship brands like Burberry and Bentley showcased their latest offerings, with a strong emphasis on green technology and sustainable development.

"I have seen the tremendous innovation and growth taking place within China's economy in recent years, not least in digital technologies, life sciences and green energy," said Douglas Alexander, minister of state of the UK's Department for Business and Trade.

These areas present significant opportunities for both economies, he said, emphasizing the UK's commitment to deepening economic ties with China.

Burberry Greater China President Josie Zhang noted the value of the expo in facilitating foreign firms to engage with local partners. "By deepening cooperation with various stakeholders, we aim to explore new market opportunities and achieve mutual growth," she said in a written interview with Xinhua.

Slovakia also made a notable debut with its first-ever national pavilion.

Andrea Jancekova, CEO of Slovak brand Truscada, praised the expo's global reach. "You can have a good connection also with people from all over the world."

Slovak Deputy Prime Minister Denisa Sakova highlighted the expanding trade ties between the two countries. "China is one of our most important trading partners outside the European Union," she said. "The growing volume of trade is a testament to the strength and dynamism of our economic relationship."

Among the newcomers was Japan's Eda Livestock Co Ltd, known for its premium Wagyu beef. "We plan to establish a foreign trade company in Hainan as our strategic entry point into the Chinese market," said Rei Tanaka, the firm's chief operating officer, who participated in the CICPE for the first time.

This year's expo also gathered an array of top-tier global luxury brands. Richemont's TimeVallee debuted as an independent exhibitor, while LVMH and Kering Group brands made notable appearances, reflecting confidence in China's premium consumption growth.

"Luxury consumers in China are significantly younger than those in many overseas markets, and that presents a major opportunity for us," said Nancy Liu, president of luxury travel retailer DFS China. The company has introduced tailored services to cater to the expectations of these emerging consumer groups.

Beyond luxury, sectors like automotive technology are repositioning China from being a mere sales destination to a research and innovation hub.

Amid China's technological innovation momentum, this year's expo for the first time introduced dedicated zones for artificial intelligence and the low-altitude economy, showcasing cutting-edge technologies and products from leading tech companies around the world.

"Since 2020, Volkswagen has invested over 10 billion euros ($11.36 billion) in China. In particular, we established a research and development center in China in 2023, the largest outside Germany, "said Su Bahong, vice-president of Volkswagen Group China. "This shows a trend where China is becoming the global technological innovation hub."

Xinhua

The global yachting world turned its attention to Sanya, Hainan province this week as the fifth China International Consumer Products Expo, held from Sunday to Friday in the provincial capital of Haikou, hosted its first dedicated international yachting exhibition in the coastal city, featuring 62 companies from over 20 countries and more than 150 vessels.

The exhibition, held as the expo's first sub-venue in Sanya, aims to foster collaboration across the yachting industry's production, education, research, innovation and investment segments.

At Tuesday's opening ceremony, the Sanya Cruise and Yacht Association issued the "Sanya Initiative for the Yacht Industry", calling on businesses, industry groups, research institutions and governments worldwide to build an open, innovative and sustainable yachting ecosystem.

The proposal seeks to position Sanya as a hub for exploring new pathways for China's yachting sector.

Spanning about 166,800 square meters, the exhibition utilizes existing marina infrastructure, underscoring the city's push to expand its yachting economy.

In recent years, Sanya has enhanced its maritime appeal by upgrading port facilities and diversifying services, including yacht rentals, sales and event hosting. The city has also cultivated niche markets such as yacht wedding photography and educational boating tours. Efforts to lower entry barriers have spurred growth in hybrid marine sectors.

By late 2024, registered yachts in Sanya reached 1,415, and it now hosts 7,300 yacht-related enterprises, accounting for 22.7 percent of China's total, according to Hainan Daily.

Wang Qiyang, Party secretary of Sanya, said the city will continue developing as a core zone for international tourism consumption while advancing reforms in yachting. Plans include integrating yachting with tourism, exhibitions and cultural creativity, with a long-term goal of establishing a full industrial chain — from research and manufacturing to sales and maintenance — in order to solidify Sanya's reputation as the "Yachting Capital of the Asia-Pacific".

Li Gang, director-general of the department of market operation and consumption promotion at the Ministry of Commerce, said China's yachting market has grown steadily due to rising living standards and policy improvements. The ministry will support regions in developing yacht-friendly policies, infrastructure and public marinas while encouraging businesses to innovate with "yacht+" products to expand consumer access.

The yacht show highlights Sanya's ambition to become a global leader in the maritime leisure industry.

Sanya is transforming its yacht economy with Free Trade Port policies, unlocking diverse opportunities across luxury and mass consumption sectors. Key benefits include duty-free yacht imports, 183-day guarantee-free berthing for foreign yachts, and convenient access to open waters for cruising. As a vital part of the maritime economy, yacht tourism is expanding Hainan's tourism offerings from land to sea, reaching 100-200 nautical miles offshore. In the future, superyachts will facilitate tourism across unlimited navigation areas, showcasing the Free Trade Port's open vitality of "thriving through marine development".

HAIKOU - With innovative design and display forms, intangible cultural heritage products from all over the country, ranging from traditional handicrafts to specialty food, are showcased at the expo to demonstrate the profound heritage of traditional Chinese culture and attract the attention of many visitors.

This week, the world's gaze converges once again on the coast of the South China Sea – Haikou, Hainan province. A total of 71 countries and regions, about 1,700 enterprises, and over 4,100 brands have converged here, forming a gravitational field for global premium goods, with the scale reaching a new high. CICPE serves as the "world's showcase" for the closed-loop operation of the Hainan Free Trade Port and a grand declaration of China's pursuit of further high-level opening-up. Let's take a look!

As the complexity, severity and uncertainty of the external environment continue to intensify, China's foreign trade has been seeing certain pressure, and the government will help guide the nation's exporters to find more business opportunities in the super large-scale domestic market, a senior official said.

Sheng Qiuping, vice-minister of commerce, made the remarks during the ongoing fifth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, Hainan province, which will conclude on Friday.

China has been the largest country in terms of merchandise trade for eight consecutive years. Last year, the country's foreign trade business value topped 4.3 trillion yuan ($588.2 billion) for the first time, up 5 percent year-on-year, said the General Administration of Customs.

Amid tariff increases by the United States and growing economic fragmentation worldwide, the global industrial chain has been impacted, and increasing duties place significant pressure on China's foreign trade sector.

"We will guide local governments, business associations and e-commerce platforms to help China's foreign trade companies expand their domestic market by utilizing the advantage of the country's super-large scale market and resist the impact of foreign trade pressures," Sheng said.

He added that the government would mainly help 10 provinces with high volume foreign trade business and consumption by expanding domestic sales channels. For instance, the government will help cultivate an integrated services platform for domestic and foreign trade, and guide enterprises to achieve more orders and stabilize operations.

China's major e-commerce platform JD said that beginning May 1, the company will invest 200 billion yuan to purchase foreign trade products for domestic sales, and establish a special section for sales of high-quality foreign trade products, relying on its self-operated model and supply chains.

For offline business, foreign trade enterprises will be guided to showcase and sell their products at pedestrian streets and commercial complexes in major cities, and the Ministry of Commerce will hold more types of promotional events in the next step.

Such an effort will help build a dual-circulation development pattern, the ministry said, meaning internal economic circulation will act as the mainstay of economic growth, while domestic and external markets will complement each other.

China wields great power when it comes to tackling trade pressure, as it has a huge domestic market with 1.4 billion potential consumers.

With the ongoing consumption upgrade trend, the country has a lot of opportunities to expand the domestic market if there are supplies of high-quality, new type products that meet the needs of domestic consumers, said Peng Jianzhen, president of the China Chain Store and Franchise Association.

"Chinese retailers such as Yonghui Superstores said they welcome foreign trade companies to discuss potential cooperative deals with them. In addition, business associations that are responsible for exports and domestic sales have united together to help foreign trade companies overcome difficulties," Peng said.

As early as April last year, Hainan released a group of optimization measures to help accelerate the integration of domestic and foreign trade, and the province's government work report this year stated that it will promote the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade.

In developed countries, after average annual per capita GDP exceeds $10,000, residents will accelerate their transition from material consumption to mid-to-high-end and personalized consumption, and China is undergoing such a transformation, said a report by CITIC Think Tank.

About 260 million Generation Z consumers — those born between 1995 and 2009 — stand as the core force driving growth of such a trend, and their purchasing power is on the rise, the report said.

"We expect a clear upward trend for goods consumption such as fragrances, jewelry, beauty supplies, luxury products and IP products. For services consumption, leisure, entertainment and wellness consumption is on the rise," said Jiang Ya, chief consumer industry analyst from CITIC Securities.

The 5th China International Consumer Products Expo opened on Sunday with Beijing as the guest city, high-tech medical debuts, and a new Hainan food showcase, drawing global brands to explore China's consumer market potential.

The expo runs through April 18 in Haikou. Beijing was selected as the guest city for the first time at the CICPE, hosting a themed promotion day on Monday at the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Officials highlighted Beijing's progress over the past five years in building an international consumption hub and outlining future plans and incentives. The event also spotlighted two key national initiatives—the Comprehensive Demonstration Zone for Expanding the Service Sector and the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone—as growth drivers.

Organizers announced the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services will take place in September at Shougang Park, a newly developed convention complex. The fair will feature summits, exhibitions and business networking events. A 400-square-meter "Invest Beijing Reception Hall" showcased leading consumer brands, reflecting the city's global business ambitions.

The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone exhibited over 90 medical products, including breakthrough drugs, devices and imported health foods—many introduced for the first time at a major international expo. Interactive displays allowed visitors to explore advancements in oncology, cardiology, ophthalmology and medical aesthetics.

The zone also unveiled new health-tourism programs, digital platforms and patient-centered initiatives. Events like the "Lecheng Innovation Summit" aimed to spur discussions on medical consumption and global collaboration.

To enhance the expo experience, Hainan introduced 100 revamped local dishes, and 20 signature snacks selected for their innovative ingredients, techniques, and presentation. Highlights included coconut chicken soup and modern twists on traditional seafood.

The cuisine is featured in exhibitions, digital guides, and tasting events. A China-UK banquet and a Haikou night market blend food with cultural performances, while hotels and restaurants offer themed menus.

Despite a complex and ever-changing international situation and with the process of globalization facing challenges, China has always embraced the world with its high-standard opening-up, attracting investments from many foreign enterprises.

Officials and top executives of foreign companies made the remarks during the ongoing fifth China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, Hainan province, the biggest ever compared with past editions, which points to the confidence of global consumer enterprises in China.

This year, the expo has attracted the participation of more than 1,700 companies and over 4,100 brands from 71 countries and regions. The exhibition area of US companies stands as the largest, with a total of 29 firms and 40 brands participating in the event, according to the Hainan provincial government.

"Facing a complex and ever-changing external environment, the holding of the expo has played a reassuring role for many foreign companies. They have indicated a high enthusiasm of cooperating with China and firmly believe in China's opening-up policy and the prospect of the Hainan Free Trade Port," said Huang Cui, deputy director-general of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development.

The United Kingdom serves as the guest of honor at the expo this year, and 27 UK companies participated in the event, including luxury brand Burberry, Denby Pottery, Loake shoes and Endura cycling gear.

Douglas Alexander, minister of state at the Department for Business and Trade of the United Kingdom, said: "We all have seen the tremendous innovation and growth taking place within China's economy in recent years, not least in digital technologies, life sciences and green energy, and areas which present significant opportunities for both our economies. So, we very much want to support British businesses big and small to seize the opportunities that the Chinese market offers. I look forward to discussing how we can unlock opportunities for increased trade and how we can realize a more prosperous future for both the UK and China."

Alexander said the UK is keen to explore the opportunities for free and open trade — trade that benefits both Chinese and British firms.

Besides the UK, France, Switzerland and Slovakia are also showing their products in the form of national exhibition venues.

Denisa Sakova, deputy prime minister of Slovakia, said Slovakia is grateful for the openness and willingness of China to create favorable conditions for the development of trade and investment cooperation.

The volume of foreign trade between the two countries is continuously increasing, and Slovakia aspires to become a reliable and responsible partner that contributes to economic growth and innovation for both sides.

CP Group, a Bangkok-based firm and a five-time participant at the expo, said it has developed industrial parks that integrate coffee planting and coffee cultural and tourism in Xinglong, Hainan. Next, it plans to build a modern agricultural food industry park with tropical and efficient agricultural features in the province.

"By utilizing our global resources, we would like to promote more products from Hainan and other parts of China to Thailand, Southeast Asia and the world," said Xie Yi, senior vice-president of CP Group.

Denis Cheng, consumer sector leader of EY Greater China, said with the government's multiple favorable policies that aim to boost consumption, China's overall consumption market is expected to show a stable and positive growth trend this year.

As China has expanded the scope of its consumer products trade-in programs, the consumption potential of durable consumer goods is expected to be further boosted this year, Cheng said, adding that new demand and new technologies will help fuel more consumption hot spots and growth points, and emerging sectors such as green, smart and health consumption are likely to embrace more growth opportunities.

China's duty-free shopping policies in Hainan province, offering travelers the convenience of instant pickups and guaranteed pickups, have achieved notable success two years after implementation, according to local customs data.

Duty-free shoppers in Hainan spent 6.94 billion yuan ($950 million) through the "buy and pick-up" duty-free method in Hainan's offshore duty-free from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2025. During this period, 7.7 million items were purchased by 3.48 million individuals. Additionally, the "guaranteed pick-up" method saw a total shopping amount of 138 million yuan, with 1,314 items bought by 1,308 people, data from Haikou Customs showed.

The policies, designed to boost tourism and retail in the island province, have dovetailed with cultural events like concerts, drawing visitors such as a tourist surnamed Huang from Guangdong province. "I came for Jay Chou's concert in Sanya but forgot my sunglasses and sunscreen," she said. "Buying them duty-free and getting them right away was affordable and hassle-free."

Retailers like China Duty Free Group's Sanya branch have likewise leveraged these major events to drive sales, optimizing logistics to meet demand under the new rules.

To streamline the "guaranteed pick-up" method, Haikou Customs has set up verification checkpoints at airports and ports, using smart tracking systems to cut inspection times to as little as two minutes. "Once we confirm the goods are unused and the traveler has left the island, we refund the deposit promptly," said Yang Gang, deputy director of Haikou Customs' port supervision department.

Hainan plans to expand duty-free product categories and further refine the policies to enhance convenience for shoppers and sustain its appeal as a duty-free shopping hub, according to Haikou Customs.

HAIKOU - The fifth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), a key platform for global trade and consumption trends, will take place in Haikou, the capital city of South China's Hainan province, from April 13 to 18, the event's organizers announced at a press briefing on Wednesday.

Co-hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Hainan provincial government, this year's expo will feature expanded international participation and first-time innovations.

Aligning with China's innovation priorities, the expo will highlight sectors such as artificial intelligence, low-altitude aviation, smart vehicles and digital health.

Tech leaders like Huawei, iFLYTEK and Tesla will showcase cutting-edge solutions. The main venue remains the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center this year, with additional duty-free shopping zones in international duty-free complexes in Haikou and Sanya.

A yacht exhibition will also be held in Sanya. Newcomers to the event will include delegations from Slovakia, Brazil and Singapore. Multinational giants such as US-based Estée Lauder and Germany's Volkswagen will also be among this year's exhibitors.

Domestic exhibitors will present premium and local products, and a section of the expo will be dedicated to connecting foreign buyers with Chinese manufacturers through tailored investment matchmaking.

The CICPE is China's only national-level exhibition featuring consumer products, and it is the largest consumer expo in the Asia-Pacific region.