A view of Shanghai Photo: VCG

A total of 57 countries and three international organizations have confirmed participation in the Country Exhibition of the 9th China International Import Expo, with Moldova, Romania and the UN Development Programme set to make their debuts, an official of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) Bureau said during a press briefing on Monday.

The expo, which will take place from November 5 to 10, 2026, will also support the participation of provinces, states and cities from relevant countries, showcasing achievements in subnational cooperation between China and other countries. Canada has announced that it will serve as a Guest Country of Honor for the second time.

The China Pavilion will showcase new opportunities and China's vision for economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, Wu Zhengping, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, said at a press conference on Monday.

The Business Exhibition will retain its vast scale of 360,000 square meters, with exhibitor recruitment progressing faster than at the same point last year, Wu said.

More than 1,200 companies from 99 countries and regions have signed up, more than 100 more than a year earlier. Contracted exhibition space has surpassed 340,000 square meters, reaching 95 percent of the target. Participants include 265 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders, 10 more year-on-year. A total of 169 companies and 30 overseas exhibition organizers are set to achieve full attendance across all nine editions.

Developed economies remain the largest source of exhibitors, with US companies accounting for the most contracted space. Bookings by companies from France, the UK and New Zealand have already exceeded last year's levels, Wu said.

This year's expo will also upgrade its Asia-Africa Products Zone, helping exhibitors from African countries with diplomatic ties with China seize opportunities created by the zero-tariff policy.

The Business Exhibition is a key component of the CIIE. Across the first eight editions, it recorded 27,000 overseas exhibitor participations and showcased more than 3,400 debut products, technologies and services, official data showed.

More new names will join the CIIE this year, including leading French pharmaceutical group Pierre Fabre, Singapore-based Perennial Holdings, which operates China's first wholly foreign-owned private tertiary general hospital, Dutch paints and coatings company AkzoNobel, US fashion brand Ralph Lauren, global steelmaker ArcelorMittal and renowned chocolatier Godiva.

The steady rise in exhibition space and participating companies reflects the CIIE's growing influence and the increasing importance of the Chinese market to global businesses, Bian Yongzu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine, told the Global Times on Monday. Companies from a wider range of countries are coming to China in search of opportunities, driven by the country's vast market and growing demand for high-quality imports, particularly premium goods.

For Fortune Global 500 companies, the expo provides valuable brand exposure while helping them maintain close ties with the Chinese market. More importantly, Bian said, China's market scale, manufacturing strength and research capabilities make it indispensable to their global operations, competitiveness and supply-chain resilience.

For companies from smaller economies, the attraction is even more direct. Successfully entering China could generate growth, Bian said. The enormous potential explains their strong desire to participate in the CIIE and gain access to one of the world's largest consumer markets.