(Yicai Global) Nov. 1 -- A total of 145 countries, regions and international organizations will take part in the 5th China International Import Expo, which will kick off in Shanghai on Nov. 5, according to Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the China International Import Expo Bureau.

Nicaragua, Djibouti, Mauritania, Comoros, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq and Iceland will be at the country exhibition of the six-day expo for the first time, Sun told a press conference today.

Enterprises from 127 countries and regions will participate in the business fair, including those from the countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which is a free trade agreement that has created the world’s largest trading bloc of 15 countries.

A total of 284 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders will take part in the enterprise exhibition, 90 percent of which have also participated in the previous expo.

In addition, this year’s CIIE has set up 39 trading groups and nearly 600 subdivided trading groups. Organizers have carried out precise investment promotion, getting important buyers in the manufacturing, wholesale, retail and other industries and lots of private enterprises to actively sign up for the expo.

The 5^th CIIE will also set subsections within exhibition areas to enhance service standards, including  a crop seeds subsection, an artificial intelligence subsection, low-carbon development and green recovery subsection and environmental protection technology subsection. It will expand the innovation incubation zone, with more than 150 start-ups in the fields of technology and equipment, consumer goods, medical care, and automobiles displaying their products together.

Meanwhile, the “Digital CIIE” display platform will make its this year, realizing the online display of more than 300 exhibitors in the field of technical equipment and improving the effectiveness of participation in the exhibition.

Editor: Peter Thomas