The China International Import Expo has become a launchpad for small overseas companies seeking a foothold in the Chinese market, according to 新华网客户端. Exhibitors interviewed by the outlet described going from near-total obscurity in China to larger booths and lasting partnerships over successive editions of the show.
One of them is a Nepali entrepreneur attending for the sixth time. Before he began exhibiting, his company, Himalayan Threads, was barely known to Chinese buyers. 新华网客户端 reports that his booth has grown from 9 square metres at his first appearance to 72 square metres, and that his products have gradually gained traction with Chinese customers. He said the expo gave his firm a promotional platform it had previously lacked.
Why it matters
The accounts point to a role for the import expo beyond a week of dealmaking: giving very small firms a first point of contact with Chinese distributors, manufacturers and consumers. For companies with limited resources, that exposure can matter more than an immediate order book.
A first-time exhibitor, founder Mert Orhan Astam, told the outlet that opening doors to cooperation was his main goal in coming. He said meeting people and building willingness to work together counted for more than funding or sales. He also described the Chinese market as quick to embrace new technology, saying people there are willing to try unfamiliar things. His company is currently in talks with a Chinese robotics firm and is looking for manufacturing and research partners to develop commercial applications for its technology.
From a trial booth to long-term partners
New Zealand's Pacific Alpacas, which makes alpaca duvets and apparel, first exhibited in 2021 with roughly 100 duvets and a 9-square-metre stand, 新华网客户端 reports. The company was testing a market it did not yet know well. Its booth has since expanded to 150 square metres.
Company representative Hu Tao said the gains went beyond sales revenue, pointing to what he called the expo's spillover effects. Through the event, the firm met two key partners: a textile manufacturer in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, which helped improve the quality of its duvets, and a marketing agency in Shandong province, which helped it build a livestream e-commerce channel.
Shanghai is trying to keep that kind of contact going after the show closes. Under a "6+365 days" approach, the city is extending the expo's reach year-round. By July 2026, the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center, which is closely tied to the expo, had gathered more than 85,000 product lines from over 120 countries and regions, according to 新华网客户端. About 70 percent of them had been shown at the expo.
Shao Yu, chief economist at the science and innovation centre of Fudan University's School of Management, said such permanent display and trading platforms turn brief matchmaking during the event into longer-term trade relationships and give companies more chances to learn what Chinese consumers want.
Tariffs, customs and a widening import market
A stable and predictable market environment, along with preferential tariff policies and streamlined customs clearance, are also cited as reasons companies view China favourably. Shao noted that small and medium-sized enterprises have limited resources and are less able to absorb shocks, making them more exposed to external disruption. He said China's large domestic market, continuing consumption upgrading and a series of measures to expand imports have opened up steady and broad room for growth for small firms worldwide.
A report released during this year's expo, the Export to China Capability Development Report, found that rising household incomes and demand shifting toward higher-quality goods and services leave considerable room for Chinese imports to grow. 新华网客户端 reports that China's appetite for advanced manufactured goods and primary products also offers market opportunities to economies at different stages of development.
The expo's technology theme drew wide attention this year. AI was a focal point across industries, with international companies looking for new advantages in the AI era, according to the Beijing municipal government's portal. 新华网 also reported on how technology on display is changing everyday life. Separately, Guangming Online aired an interview with the president of the US-China Business Council, who said American companies do not want to see trade protectionism rise.
Watch whether the partnerships announced at the expo, including cross-border tie-ups in robotics, translate into signed deals before the next edition.
