The 2018 China International Import Expo (CIIE), a platform to promote bilateral trade relations between China and the world, has announced the closure of booth application process, having filled all available places.

With less than 100 days to go, preparations are now in full swing with a series of demand-matchmaking sessions for each exhibition area scheduled to take place ahead of the landmark event which will be held on November 5, said a statement from the organisers.

More than 2,800 companies will participate in the expo, including more than 200 Fortune 500 companies and industry-leading companies.

According to preliminary statistics, exhibitors will bring more than 100 new products, technologies and cutting-edge goods to fill 270,000-sq-m at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the world's largest single block building and exhibition complex, it said.

As the first national expo themed on import of the world, CIIE is a unique and great beginning of the international trade promotion field. The slogan of the CIIE is "New Era, Shared Future", which carries on the principles of the Belt and Road Initiative, including extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, it added.

CIIE Buyers at the event will take the form of 'in-country' trade delegations and will include various types of merchants, such as import agents, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, production and services companies. In addition, a select group of 98 state-owned enterprises will form the first batch of buyers. In total, over 150,000 domestic and foreign buyers are expected to attend.

To maximise the opportunity for all exhibitors, organisers have arranged a series of satellite events and demand-matchmaking exercises to boost transactions and support attendees ahead of the main event this November. The first of these events held on the 14th June 2018 for exhibitors in the food and agricultural sectors, 36 merchants and 35 reputable International enterprises including Wal-Mart, Metro, and Takashimaya joined the event.

The second matchmaking session, held on July 26, attracted more than 200 domestic and foreign exhibitors, merchants and buyers within the apparel, consumer goods, electronics, and home appliance industries to mark the beginning of the 100-day countdown to the official start of the event.

Although booth registration for this year's expo has now closed, the hosts of CIIE - as a result of high demand - have begun accepting reservations for CIIE 2019 and have already signed contract with several exhibitors, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service