The value of deals reached at the just-concluded China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai rose 4.4% year-on-year to reach a record high of about USD83.5 billion. China remains steadfast in sharing its development opportunities with the global community and providing more stability amid rising uncertainties worldwide, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said at the opening ceremony. In his keynote speech, Li emphasized that the CIIE, the world’s first national-level expo dedicated to imports, not only acts as a gateway for the global economy to access the Chinese market, but also serves as a vital bridge connecting China with the world. This year, the Expo has attracted participants from 155 countries, regions and international organizations, featuring 4,108 overseas companies, which is over 600 more compared with last year. A total of 180 multinational companies have attended all eight editions of the Expo. Li said the number of exhibitors at the eighth CIIE has reached a new record high, “fully demonstrating the vibrant dynamism and vitality of China’s vast market”. Over its past seven editions since its inception in 2018, the CIIE has attracted more than 23,000 overseas exhibitors, generating a cumulative turnover of USD500 billion. This year, over 460 new products, technologies and services made their global debut during the Expo. Leaders from countries including Georgia, Serbia, Nigeria and Slovenia attended the opening ceremony.
The China International Import Expo (CIIE) has become not only a global stage for new product debuts, but also a premier arena for the world’s most advanced technologies to make their first appearance. United States-based firm Rockwell Automation launched new systems designed to boost communication efficiency and operational flexibility. Canada’s Clickmox made the global debut of its ClickCopilot, a home companion robot for senior citizens. In total, 461 new products, technologies and services are being introduced at this year’s Expo, reaffirming its role as a launchpad where hard tech and innovations from around the world enter the Chinese market and begin scaling globally. The CIIE has evolved from a trade showcase into a global innovation accelerator, a stage where multinational companies debut, localize and scale the technologies that will define the next industrial era. Swiss air-technology firm IQAir globally debuted an advanced air purification technology blended with 600-year-old Chinese craftsmanship. Inspired by Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) vases, the design integrates dragon and phoenix motifs with ancient oracle bone characters symbolizing harmony and wellbeing.
China’s vast domestic market is also becoming a testbed for global innovation. Over the past five years, the country has surged into the world’s top 10 in the Global Innovation Index (GII) and now hosts the largest number of leading innovation clusters globally. Its complete industrial system and strong supply chain resilience have supported breakthroughs in fields from new energy to advanced manufacturing, fueling global digital and green transitions. Multinational companies are increasingly using the CIIE as a strategic entry point to integrate with China’s innovation chain. Anna An, President of chemicals firm Henkel Greater China, said: “The CIIE accelerates the localization of global innovation in China, and it’s a vivid example of high-quality development and the nurturing of new quality productive forces.”
Multinational corporations including France's L’Oréal and Canada's Lululemon have pledged continued investment in China. Speaking on the sidelines of the CIIE, L’Oréal Chief Executive Nicolas Hieronimus said “investing in China is investing in the future”, citing the country’s recovering luxury market and rising consumer confidence. “The Chinese market has been recovering and accelerating quarter after quarter, and it turned positive, particularly in the luxury segment,” he said. “When I come here it is to talk about the future and discuss 2026, and clearly we are ambitious about the market. Consumer confidence is increasing, and the Shanghai stock market has gone up, which is good for consumer confidence.” L’Oréal dominated China’s luxury beauty segment, commanding nearly 30% of the market, according to Hieronimus. China is the company’s second-largest market globally. It is targeting 5% sales growth in China for 2025.
The upbeat tone comes as China’s consumption recovery gathers pace. Retail sales of consumer goods grew 4.5% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025 to CNY36.58 trillion. China’s luxury sector had shown steady quarter-on-quarter recovery over the past year, reversing the sharp downturn seen through 2023 and early 2024, said Jacques Roizen, Managing Director of China consulting at DLG. Lululemon echoed L’Oréal’s optimism about China’s potential. “The Chinese mainland has become our second-largest market globally, a key growth engine for our business,” said Calvin McDonald, Lululemon’s CEO. The Canadian athletic apparel brand operated more than 165 stores across China and planned to “continue expanding year after year”, he said. Its latest milestone was the opening of a store support center on Shanghai’s West Bund.
This overview is based on reports by the China Daily, the Global Times, and the South China Morning Post.
