Over 1,300 companies sign up for intl import expo in Shanghai

BEIJING - More than 1,300 companies from all over the world have confirmed they would attend the China International Import Expo (CIIE) due in November, the organizing committee has said.

The companies are from more than 120 countries and regions, including over 100 Fortune Global 500 firms and leading enterprises in various industries, the People's Daily quoted Ning Feng, deputy head of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), as saying.

Of the signed companies, 34 percent are from developed countries, while 10 percent are from the least developed countries. Countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative account for 34 percent of the signed companies.

Up to 150,000 professional purchasers from both China and abroad were expected to participate in the CIIE in Shanghai from Nov 5-10.

The organizing committee said the exhibition area will exceed 240,000 square meters, including trade and investment pavilions for different countries and corporate business exhibition halls.

"It is a significant move for the Chinese government to hold the CIIE to firmly support trade liberalization and economic globalization, and actively open the Chinese market to the world," according to the website of the organizing committee.