The Eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE), held after the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, attracted participants from 155 countries, regions and international organizations. On the 430,000 sqm exhibition area, 4,108 foreign enterprises exhibited, setting new records in both the scale of the fair and the number of exhibitors.
According to an opinion poll conducted by CGTN among 14,000 respondents from 46 countries, 72.6 % of respondents believe that China is an open and competitive free market. Respondents from 28 countries expressed above average levels of agreement, representing 60 % of all participating countries.
The Plenum of the Central Committee stressed the need to deepen high-level openness and promote mutually beneficial cooperation with the world. According to respondents, the most widely recognized aspects of China's openness policy include promoting innovation and green transformation, emphasizing institutional openness, enhancing competitiveness through international circulation, facilitating trade and investment, and strengthening intellectual property protection and fair competition.
China's total foreign trade volume reached 37.31 trillion yuan (about US$5.24 trillion) in the first ten months of the year, marking nine consecutive months of growth since February, according to data from the China Customs Administration.
The survey also found that 79.8 % respondents find China's business environment highly attractive to foreign investors, 78 % believe their countries and companies benefit from trade with China, 74.9 % support their countries' participation in China's international cooperation initiatives, and 84.3 % recognize China's critical role in ensuring the stability of global production and supply chains.
This year, for the first time at the CIIE, a „Products from Least Developed Countries“ section was established, expanding the African zone and providing free exhibition space and tax benefits for unsold goods. These products are thus directly linked to the Chinese market.
Among respondents from countries in the Global South, 88.2 % said that the Chinese market represents an important development opportunity for their countries, 78.8 % consider trade with China fair, 85.1 % said their countries benefit from economic exchanges with China, and 85 % support active engagement in Chinese international cooperation initiatives.
The continued success of the CIIE, now in its eighth year, confirms the confidence of the global community in the Chinese economy. A total of 89.5 % of survey participants recognise China's strong economic potential, 82 % believe in its long-term growth and 86.4 % appreciate China's recent contribution to the global economic recovery.
The survey was conducted by CGTN in collaboration with the Institute of New Era International Communication at the People's University of China. It involved adult respondents from both developed countries and the Global South, with the sample matching the age and gender structure of the population in each country.