The first batch of exhibits for the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) successfully clears customs and enters China under the supervision of Shanghai Customs on October 12, 2026. The 9th CIIE will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. Photo: VCG

From across continents come premium Austrian machine tools, organic Peruvian bananas, a native AI-powered spectral angiography system, and tires composed of 75 percent renewable and recycled materials. 

On Monday morning, 10 trucks transporting the first consignment of exhibits for the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) rolled slowly into the north plaza of the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday. 

With the first batch of exhibits now on site, booth construction for the 9th CIIE is well underway.

These initial exhibits span multiple sections including technology and equipment, medical devices, consumer goods as well as agricultural products. 

A host of overseas enterprises have brought flagship debut products to Shanghai, leveraging the CIIE platform to tap the Chinese market opportunities.

Alongside high-end equipment to boost industrial upgrading are fresh produce from all corners of the world, including Malaysian White Jade Pearl durians and organic Peruvian bananas, which form part of an eye-catching lineup.

At the 9th CIIE, AstraZeneca, a CIIE "veteran exhibitor" that has participated in every edition, is presenting a booth of approximately 1,000 square meters. The company said it will showcase nearly 50 innovative medicines introduced to China over the past 30 years and hold a series of signing and launch events. From bringing global innovation into China to taking Chinese innovation global, the CIIE has become an important pillar of AstraZeneca's presence across the full value chain in China.

Peter McBride, chairman of New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra, told the Global Times on Tuesday that this year the company is participating in the CIIE for the ninth consecutive year, demonstrating the company's long-term commitment to China.

Over nearly 50 years, Fonterra has grown significantly in China, McBride said. "With China hosting APEC in 2026, the focus on openness and cooperation is timely. Fonterra's experience shows how open trade, stable relationships and mutually beneficial cooperation can create lasting value for participating economies and contribute to shared prosperity."

Bayer has participated in the CIIE for nine consecutive years. The company told the Global Times that this year, "Bayer will bring about 30 debut innovations to the CIIE. The CIIE has become an inspiring platform for us to exchange—to listen, learn, and work with our partners," Bill Anderson, Chairman of the Board of Management of Bayer AG, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

The biggest change is that the CIIE has become much more than an exhibition. "When we first joined, it was primarily a place for bringing global innovation to China. Today, it offers a vibrant platform that helps turn innovation into real impact, and from both an innovation and market perspective, China stands as one of Bayer's most vital strategic pillars," Anderson said. 

The 9th CIIE will be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. Launched in 2018 as the world's first national-level expo dedicated to imports, the CIIE was designed to expand China's opening up and turn its vast market into a shared opportunity for the world.

A total of 162 countries, regions and international organizations will take part, with 4,142 overseas companies exhibiting, China's Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong told a press conference on October 16. 

The overall exhibition area will exceed 440,000 square meters for the first time. In the enterprise exhibition, companies from the US, Germany, Britain and France will lead the pack in terms of exhibition space.  


Global Times