Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao (center) and ambassadors to China from multiple countries press the launch button for the "Big Market for All: Export to China" initiative in Beijing on February 4, 2026. Photo: Ma Tong/GT

China on Wednesday launched the first event of its 2026 "Big Market for All: Export to China" series in Beijing, as the country steps up efforts to expand self-initiated opening-up, increase imports and share the opportunities of its vast market with the rest of the world.  

Diplomats and chamber representatives attending the event told the Global Times that they are optimistic about the growth potential of China's consumer market, as well as cooperation opportunities expected to emerge during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30), particularly in services- and technology-related sectors.

Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Ambassadors to China from countries such as the UK, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Kenya, Thailand and Finland, along with more than 150 Chinese and foreign guests from diplomatic missions, chambers of commerce and businesses, attended the event.

Wang said that hosting the series is a proactive move by China to expand self-initiated opening-up, actively increase imports and promote more balanced trade development. It is also an innovative effort, from the perspective of trade partners, to jointly enlarge the "pie" of cooperation and safeguard the multilateral trading system and free trade, he said. 

China is already the UK's third-largest trading partner, but there remains significant headroom to expand bilateral trade as China seeks to boost domestic consumption and expand high-quality imports under this new initiative, British Ambassador to China Peter Wilson said in his speech. The UK is one of the annual theme countries for the event.

Speaking to the Global Times and other media outlets on the sidelines of the event, Wilson stressed the positive signals coming from China. "The whole preparation for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the discussion around Chinese companies going global, and the very clear signal from the Chinese government that China wants to boost consumption are all very positive developments," he said.

During UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to China in late January, the two sides signed four economic and trade outcome documents, including a memorandum of understanding on cooperation under the "Export to China" framework. The UK became the first country to sign such a memorandum with China since the launch of the series, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).

Fabrizio Costa, secretary-general of the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce, told the Global Times on Wednesday on the sidelines of the event that China's 15th Five-Year Plan and its super-large market underpin strong cooperation potential for Italian and European companies. 

"Technology is at the center of the plan, and this creates opportunities in areas such as machinery and healthcare, especially pharmaceuticals, as well as in traditional Italian products, which are mainly related to fashion, design and agriculture," Costa said.

He also pointed to the attractiveness of China's vast market. "The scale of consumption, combined with Chinese consumers' strong interest in high-quality goods, creates significant opportunities for us, as Italian products are known for their high quality," Costa noted, stressing that Italian companies certainly have plans and remain active in the Chinese market.

The outlook for this year appears more positive as businesses show growing interest in the Chinese market, with services, including aging-related sectors, offering particularly strong potential for deeper collaboration, the chamber leader added.

Customers browse and inquire about coffee products at a booth hosted by the Ethiopian Embassy during the first 2026 "Big Market for All: Export to China" initiative launched by China's Ministry of Commerce in Beijing on February 4, 2026. Photo: Ma Tong/GT

Echoing the positive sentiment, Oliver Oehms, chief representative of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce Beijing, told the Global Times that some well-known German sports brands have attracted strong interest from Chinese investors, with one recently securing a significant investment from a Chinese group, a development he described as interesting and encouraging.

"If companies are not afraid of competition, then China is exactly the market they should be active in," Oehms said. He also underscored confidence in China's economic fundamentals, noting that "any measures that help stimulate domestic consumption would be in the interest of, and receive support from, German industry."

Looking ahead to the new Five-Year Plan period, Oehms said that emerging technologies will serve as key engines and areas of cooperation. "Areas such as AI, robotics and smart manufacturing are advancing rapidly, and in many respects, China is already among the global leaders, making it an attractive market for German companies to partner with leading Chinese technology providers," he said, adding that the chamber looks forward to the official release of the next Five-Year Plan and is confident it will continue to attract new entrants to the Chinese market.

Wilson also highlighted the importance of cooperation with China on multilateral issues. "We want to cooperate more closely with China, including within the WTO, where we believe, more work is needed to safeguard the multilateral trading system, and both countries agree that the United Nations forms the bedrock and the core of the rules-based international system," he said.

According to data from the MOFCOM, China, as the world's second-largest consumer and import market, saw its economic output exceed 140 trillion yuan ($19.5 trillion) in 2025, with total retail sales surpassing 50 trillion yuan for the first time. Imports also expanded to 18.5 trillion yuan. China is now the top export destination for more than 80 countries and regions.

The ministry said that in 2026, it will host more than 100 "Big Market for All: Export to China" events, inviting countries including the UK, Kazakhstan, Kenya and Thailand to serve as annual theme countries, in order to support more high-quality global goods and services entering China and make China the best export destination for more countries.