(Yicai) Nov. 11 -- The seventh China International Import Expo, the world's first national-level exposition dedicated to imports, concluded in Shanghai yesterday, with a record level of provisional deals agreed.

Tentative deals worth USD80.01 billion were pencilled in, a 2 percent increase on last year’s CIIE, according to the CIIE Bureau, the annual event’s organizer.

The six-day trade fair drew 3,496 businesses from 129 countries and regions, including 1,585 firms from 104 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. There were 1,106 companies from 13 member countries of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and 132 from 35 less developed countries.

The expo held at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre in Shanghai also attracted a record 297 Fortune 500 companies this year.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang attended the opening ceremony and toured the exhibition halls with foreign leaders. In a discussion with exhibitors and buyers, Li said that the CIIE has become an important platform for promoting reciprocal interaction and win-win cooperation between China and the world.

Li expressed the hope that foreign enterprises will continue to take root in the Chinese market, promoting better integration between China and global markets, safeguarding globalization and free trade, and fostering new drivers for global economic growth.

This year's CIIE also attracted 39 government trade delegations and four industry trade delegations, with the number of professional visitors exceeding 430,000, a 4 percent year-on-year increase. During the expo, nearly 50 trade and investment promotion activities were held, resulting in about 600 cooperation deals being signed. 

Preparations for the eighth CIIE commenced in July, and as of Nov. 6, 80 businesses and organizations had already reserved exhibition space, covering nearly 50,000 square meters.

Editor: Tom Litting