头条英文播报︱Xi to attend import expo in Shanghai

Workers prepare the flowerbed by the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the venue for the second China International Import Expo, on Oct 22, 2019. [Photo/VCG]

Expert says second edition of event shows China's determination to expand opening-up

President Xi Jinping will deliver the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the second China International Import Expo in Shanghai, said Vice-Minister of Commerce Wang Bingnan.

State leaders of France, Greece, Serbia and Jamaica will attend the upcoming expo, along with more than 140 ministerial-level foreign guests. Xi will meet participating state heads and governmental leaders and hold a welcoming banquet for them, Wang said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The second edition of the expo, which will be held from Tuesday to Nov 10, will be a larger event than the first expo and will likely attract more attention, Wang said. Sixty-four countries, three international organizations and more than 3,000 companies will promote their products and services at the event. More new technologies and services will debut at the expo, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The expo is a showcase of China's unswerving resolve to open up its economy, officials said.

"Holding the expo is an important decision China has made to push a new round of high-level opening-up. It will promote high-quality development of the Chinese economy," Wang added.

Tu Xinquan, a professor of international trade at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said that against the backdrop of trade protectionism and anti-globalization, the expo shows China's determination to expand its opening-up efforts.

"The event will help to introduce diversified foreign products into China and further fulfill the demand of Chinese consumers who are seeking high-quality lifestyles. The expo will also provide opportunities for consumers to communicate directly with foreign companies," Tu said.

"The expo is also expected to help drive investment. The Chinese government will be able to see what kinds of foreign products are more attractive to Chinese consumers, and thus it can encourage the producers to invest in the domestic market to satisfy local demand," he said.

The United States will have 192 companies participating in the expo — including a large number of Fortune Global 500 companies — up 18 percent year-on-year. Their exhibition area will reach 47,500 square meters, representing the top spot, the ministry said.

"Data indicates that the expo is highly attractive to US companies. We welcome more US enterprises to participate in the event, and hope China and the US will be able to achieve reciprocal economic advantages at the platform of the expo," said Assistant Commerce Minister Ren Hongbin.

Driven by China's rising demand for meat products from overseas, US food giant Cargill expects its turnover at the second expo to exceed last year's $2.4 billion.

"The price difference between domestically produced pork and imported beef is shrinking, and more consumers are willing to buy beef and other meats. Cargill's sales of meats such as beef and chicken in China have increased significantly over the past year," said Liu Jun, president of Cargill China.

The Minnesota-based company has recognized the importance of the expo, and has doubled the size of its booth area this year, said Liu.

Meanwhile, US technology company Honeywell International said it is always striving to meet the needs of Chinese customers, and this is an important reason why the company continues to participate in the expo.

"The expo provides a platform for global companies like Honeywell to strengthen our business cooperation with China, and we are excited to have the chance to work closely with our Chinese partners. China has become one of the important markets for global technological innovation, digital transformation and industrial internet of things development, and Honeywell will continue its efforts in the IoT market in China," said William Yu, Honey¬well China president.

In the year since the first import expo, 137 exhibitors have launched new companies in Shanghai's Pu¬dong New Area, and many other existing companies have expanded their investment in China, the ministry added.

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记者：朱雯骞

播报：Owen Fishwick

【阅读背景】

商务部就习近平主席出席第二届中国国际进口博览会举行中外媒体吹风会

商务部10月29日举行中外媒体吹风会。中国国际进口博览会组委会办公室主任、商务部副部长王炳南介绍习近平主席出席第二届中国国际进口博览会相关情况，并回答记者提问。

王炳南表示，第二届中国国际进口博览会将于11月5日至10日在上海举行。国家主席习近平将于11月5日出席在上海举办的第二届中国国际进口博览会暨虹桥国际经济论坛开幕式及相关活动，并发表主旨演讲。开幕式后，习近平主席将同各国领导人巡视国家馆。博览会期间，习近平主席将会见有关国家元首和政府首脑。习近平主席和夫人彭丽媛还将为各国领导人和嘉宾举行欢迎宴会。截至目前，来自170多个国家和地区的政商学界人士和国际组织代表将应邀与会。

王炳南指出，举办中国国际进口博览会，是中国着眼于推进新一轮高水平对外开放作出的重大决策，是中国主动向世界开放市场的重大举措，有助于促进中国经济高质量发展，更好满足人民美好生活需要。习近平主席连续两年出席中国国际进口博览会开幕式发表主旨演讲，充分体现了中国政府的高度重视，体现了中国支持多边贸易体制、推动贸易自由化便利化的一贯立场，体现了中国推动建设开放型世界经济、构建人类命运共同体的实际行动。在各有关方面的共同努力下，目前第二届中国国际进口博览会国家展、企业展和第二届虹桥国际经济论坛各项筹备工作已基本就绪。

王炳南表示，国家展总展览面积3万平方米，集中展示各国发展成就、营商环境和特色产业。各国家馆的形象设计独具本国特色，共有64个国家（含中国）、3个国际组织参展。15个主宾国（按英文字母排序）分别是柬埔寨、捷克、法国、希腊、印度、意大利、牙买加、约旦、哈萨克斯坦、马来西亚、秘鲁、俄罗斯、泰国、乌兹别克斯坦和赞比亚。

王炳南表示，国家展中的中国馆（含港澳台展区）场馆设计开放、大气、灵动、通透，别具东方神韵和现代气息，是一张靓丽的“中国名片”，以庆祝新中国成立70周年为主题，以高质量发展为主线，重点展示中国经济社会发展的历史性成就和新时代新机遇。

王炳南表示，企业展总展览面积33万平方米，由各国参展商展示商品、技术和服务，实现“买全球、惠全球”。涵盖装备、消费、食品、健康、服务等五大板块、七个展区，来自150多个国家和地区的3000多家企业签约参展，50万专业采购商和观众注册报名。

王炳南表示，虹桥国际经济论坛旨在为国际政商学界共商世界经济重大、前沿热点问题搭建高端对话平台，是促进开放合作的国际公共产品。第二届虹桥国际经济论坛主题为“开放创新、合作共赢”，由开幕式主论坛和5场分论坛组成。5场分论坛议题分别为“开放、规则和营商环境”“人工智能与创新发展”“世贸组织改革和自由贸易协定”“数字化时代与电子商务创新发展”“70年中国发展与人类命运共同体”。届时，预计将有4000多名来自各个国家和地区的政商学界和国际组织代表与会，共商共议、共解难题、共谋发展，为世界经济重焕生机建言献策。

王炳南指出，习近平主席在首届中国国际进口博览会开幕式主旨演讲中指出，中国国际进口博览会不仅要年年办下去，而且要办出水平、办出成效、越办越好。我们紧紧围绕这一总要求，努力实现第二届进口博览会办得更好。

一是规模更大，吸引力进一步增强。首届企业展和国家展总面积30万平方米，今年达到36万平方米。其中企业展从27万平方米增至33万平方米，两次扩大，仍然“一展难求”。参加的国别、地区、国际组织和参展商均超过首届。

二是质量更高，成效进一步提升。世界500强和行业龙头企业参展数量超过首届，“隐形冠军”企业等优质中小企业竞相亮相。更多新产品新技术新服务“全球首发、中国首展”，专（业）精（品）尖（端）特（色）产品精华荟萃。国内外采购商和专业观众有望超过50万人。

三是活动更丰富，综合效应进一步放大。展会期间各类配套活动超过300场，增进国内外经济文化交流。设立进口博览会发布平台，权威解读中国重要政策，发布国际组织最新研究成果等。18个省区市将举办140多场非物质文化遗产和“中华老字号”交流展示活动。进口博览会集展览、交易、论坛、人文、外交等活动于一体，综合溢出效应不断放大。

王炳南表示，今年是新中国成立70周年，第二届进口博览会是中国主办的一场重要国际盛会，也是今年主场外交的收官之作。在最后冲刺阶段，我们将全力以赴做好各项筹备工作，确保展会和论坛圆满成功。