Photo: Screenshot of Ministry of Commerce

China welcomes more foreign-funded retail enterprises to expand operations in its market, encourages them to maintain confidence in long-term development in the Chinese market, and urges them to act as bridges for communication and share the country's development opportunities and achievements, said a senior official of China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

According to a statement on the MOFCOM's website on Wednesday, Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping chaired a roundtable of representatives of several foreign-funded retail enterprises in Shanghai during the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) on November 8.

Sheng told the representatives that the retail sector is a cornerstone of the Chinese national economy and a vital bridge linking production and consumption. 

"The retail sector plays an important role in guiding production, expanding consumption, creating jobs, safeguarding people's livelihoods and strengthening China's domestic economic circulation," Sheng said. 

Sheng noted that China's retail market is vast, dynamic and rapidly transforming. He welcomed foreign-invested retailers to expand in China, urging them to strengthen confidence in long-term growth, serve as bridges for communication and exchange, and share in China's development opportunities and achievements.

According to the ministry's statement, Sheng also noted that the 4th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held in Beijing in October charted the course for the development of China's retail industry.

Foreign representatives at the meeting said that they attach great importance to China's market potential and are confident in the country's economic outlook. They pledged to pursue long-term development, continue to invest in the retail market, strengthen innovation, and pursue sustainable growth by offering high-quality products and provide better services for Chinese consumers, according to the statement.

China's retail sales rose 4.5 percent year-on-year in the first three quarters of 2025, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed. Retail sales totaled 36.5877 trillion yuan ($5.16 trillion) during the period, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Experts noted that despite global trade tensions and tariff pressures, China's ongoing consumption upgrade, measures to boost domestic demand and vast consumption base remain powerful lures for foreign retailers.

The roundtable held against the backdrop of the CIIE in Shanghai demonstrated that China has made continued efforts to promote trade liberalization and facilitation, and to encourage foreign participation in China's domestic market, Hu Qimu, a deputy secretary-general of Forum 50 for Digital-Real Economies Integration, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

He added that the government's efforts to encourage innovation and improve the business environment have created a solid foundation for multinationals' operation in China.

Hu said that China's e-commerce ecosystem gives foreign retail brands wider access to hundreds of millions of consumers, agile supply chains and an ever-updating innovation arena.

He noted that China's continued opening-up, aimed at sharing more development dividends with the world, will encourage foreign businesses' deeper investment and stronger engagement in the market.

Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, noted that the CIIE not only facilitates product trade but also fosters deeper industrial partnerships. 

"As more innovative products flow into China, international firms are pushed to grasp local consumer preferences and adapt to the market's unique dynamics," he told the Global Times. "That process frequently leads them to localize manufacturing and deepen collaboration with domestic companies."

In Shanghai alone, HOKA and Coach launched their first global experience center and resort store in the first half of this year. 

Adidas Originals opened its global flagship on Anfu Road in Shanghai in late May, while two months later, French outdoor label Salomon opened its first global concept store next door. In September, 66-year-old footwear brand Hush Puppies unveiled its first themed flagship at Hopson One, while London kids-wear label Wynken opened its first Chinese store.