The 6th China International Import Expo is gearing up to open its doors in just 50 days, and anticipation is building for one of the world's premier trade exhibitions.

At a press conference held on Friday, marking the 50-day countdown to the CIIE, organizers provided updates on the expo, unveiling the impressive scale and breadth of participation expected this year.

With approximately 3,000 companies already signed up to take part in the expo this year, including around 400 returning after a hiatus of two years or more, the expo is set to be a bustling international marketplace.

Also on Friday, another batch of enterprises signed on for the 7th CIIE next year, seeing positive results from their involvement in previous editions.

Panasonic, as an example, has been participating in the expo since its first edition and has signed up for the 7th CIIE.

"Participating in the CIIE has allowed Panasonic to benefit from its strong spillover effects, resulting in increased brand recognition," said Dai Hongli, a senior executive at Panasonic Corporation's China and Northeast Asia Company.

"It also provides an opportunity to directly engage with government departments, partner companies, and consumers from all over China during the exhibition, receiving feedback on our products, technologies, and solutions. This is advantageous for our business expansion in China."

Panasonic has also consistently been the exhibitor with the largest booth area in the consumer goods section, bringing a 1,000-square-meter exhibition this year to showcase its solutions for achieving carbon neutrality and a better life.

Gao Yong, vice president of public affairs and sustainability of Bayer China, said that the CIIE demonstrates China's willingness to open up its market to the world for goods and services that can be imported to the country for Chinese consumers and businesses.

"It attracts companies like Bayer to participate in the CIIE for the past 5 consecutive years, and this upcoming CIIE in November will be the 6th that Bayer attends," Gao said.

"This year, the Bayer team will show up at the CIIE together with our three business divisions, namely, Bayer Pharmaceuticals (including the Radiology unit), Bayer Consumer Health and Bayer Crop Science, to showcase our core competencies in health care and agriculture," Gao introduced.

Adele Tao, leader of Lixil Water Technology China, also expressed that "The CIIE provides an excellent platform for global innovative products and technologies to enter the Chinese market.

"Since our participation in the expo, we have deeply felt the 'Chinese speed' of transforming exhibits into commodities and have seized the opportunity to transition from being exhibitors to becoming investors," Tao said.

This year, which is the fourth consecutive year that it is participating in the CIIE, Lixil will bring its four major brands, namely Grohe, American Standard, Inax and Lixil Kitchen, to showcase a differentiated portfolio of advanced products, Tao said.

Covering an exhibition area spanning over 360,000 square meters, the business exhibition of the 6th CIIE will continue to feature six sections: Food and Agricultural Products, Automobile, Intelligent Industry and Information Technology, Consumer Goods, Medical Equipment and Healthcare Products, as well as Trade in Services. An additional area that will receive special focus is the Innovation and Incubation Special Section, fostering the exploration of cutting-edge ideas and breakthrough technologies.

Among the exhibition areas, the food and agricultural products sector boasts the highest number of participating companies from over 100 countries and regions. It will include the presence of the world's top grain traders and vegetable seed companies, emphasizing the global importance of this sector.

The automobile exhibition area will be a hub of innovation, showcasing 15 major global car brands. Notably, General Motors will debut its hybrid sports car, while Porsche's concept electric sports car will make an appearance in Asia for the first time.

In the intelligent industry and information technology zone, visitors will witness a record-breaking scale for the low-carbon special zone, reflecting China's commitment to sustainable development. Additionally, the special zones for digital industry and integrated circuit will see expanded offerings, demonstrating advancements in technology and digitalization.

The consumer goods section will be marked by the first participation of several world-renowned art galleries, providing a unique blend of commerce and culture.

In the medical equipment and health-care products section, the top 10 global medical equipment companies and Fortune Global 500 pharmaceutical companies will come together, showcasing the latest advancements in health-care technology and services.

The trade in services area brings together the four largest accounting firms and a number of Fortune Global 500 enterprises, highlighting the significance of service industries in global trade.

Meanwhile, the innovation and incubation zone will witness an increase in both size and thematic scope, fostering entrepreneurial spirit and creativity.

In particular, efforts are being made to ensure that the CIIE is an inclusive event. Fang Hui, general manager of the Exhibition Department at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), emphasized the invitation to least developed countries, which is still in progress, providing them with opportunities to participate and benefit from the expo.

In terms of attracting and supporting the buyers, the investment promotion mechanism for the 6th CIIE has been further strengthened, with a focus on precise goals and enhanced supply-demand matching, said Yang Bo, an official with the CIIE bureau.

Over 700 procurement intentions from 14 trade delegations have already been released, demonstrating the high level of interest and engagement surrounding the expo.

The national pavilions at the CIIE, meanwhile, will fully resume offline exhibitions this year, with over 60 countries and regions confirming their participation, covering the least developed countries, developing nations, and established economies. International organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization will also be in attendance.

The 6th Hongqiao International Economic and Trade Forum, held in conjunction with the CIIE, will gather esteemed guests from around the world. Senior officials from international organizations, Nobel Prize and Turing Award laureates, and executives from Fortune Global 500 companies are among the expected attendees. This forum will provide a platform for high-level discussions on economic and trade cooperation.