Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping briefs media on progress and preparations for the 8th China International Import Expo at a press conference on October 28, 2025. Photo: Courtesy of the State Council Information Office

The 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) is scheduled to be held from November 5 to 10 in Shanghai, with preparations now largely complete and the exhibition scale reaching a new record, officials announced at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Tuesday. A group of new products and technologies are also expected to debut at this year's trade fair.

The 8th CIIE will feature participation from 155 countries, regions and international organizations, and more than 4,100 overseas enterprises, with US companies maintaining the largest exhibition area for the seventh consecutive year, Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said on Monday, noting that the total exhibition space will exceed 430,000 square meters.

The corporate exhibition area was further expanded to cover more than 367,000 square meters, attracting more than 600 new exhibitors compared with last year's event. A total of 290 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders will participate, marking record highs in both exhibition area and the number of exhibitors, according to Sheng.

A total of 43 trading groups and more than 700 sub-groups are expected to participate in negotiations and procurement activities during the upcoming trade fair. 

This year's enterprise exhibition features new consumer themes and scenarios, with a stronger focus on frontier innovations. It includes six major sections — medical equipment and healthcare, automobiles and smart mobility, new tech equipment, consumer goods, food and agricultural products, and trade in services — along with an innovation incubation zone. 

At this year's CIIE, Singapore-based health tech company OSIM aims to showcase its innovation in health technology through a diverse range of products, Deserine Lim, General Manager of East China Region and Headquarters Management at OSIM China told the Global Times. "As a long-time CIIE participant, our company will present new massage chairs this time, including the uErgoh, uDream, and uLove3 series, highlighting the brand's continued leadership in smart health solutions."

Lim said China remains a key market for OSIM, accounting for more than 60 percent of its global store network. "We will continue to deepen our presence and invest in localized innovation, aligning with China's Healthy China Initiative," she said. "By offering smarter, user-friendly wellness products, OSIM hopes to grow alongside the Chinese market and contribute to a healthier future."

Yang Binhua, deputy general manager of Shanghai Dashang International Headquarters, said this year's CIIE highlights the growing spillover effect of the expo. "We brought nearly 200 specialty products from six countries — from Australian wagyu and New Zealand lamb to Spanish olive oil and French wines — showing how the event connects global supply chains and the Chinese market," Yang said.

He noted that the CIIE not only facilitates imports but also drives upstream standardization and long-term trade. "The model of direct overseas sourcing and domestic precision distribution has taken shape," he said. "By deepening cooperation with global producers, we're making high-quality goods more accessible to Chinese consumers."

Since its launch in 2018, the past seven editions of the China International Import Expo have showcased around 3,000 new products, technologies and services, generating a total turnover of over $500 billion. The transformation of "exhibits into goods" and "exhibitors into investors" has become a hallmark of the event, solidifying its role as a key platform for China's high-level opening-up, according to a report by state broadcaster CCTV News.

Global Times