Shanghai launches permanent platforms to expand CIIE benefits

SHANGHAI - As the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) approaches, Shanghai has opened several permanent exhibition and trade platforms to facilitate imports all year round.

Donghao Lansheng Group opened its import commodities center Wednesday and it has also a healthy lifestyle store in the National Exhibition and Convention Center, where the CIIE is to be held from Nov 5-10. The healthy lifestyle store has over 1,000 products from more than 100 companies.

In April, Shanghai opened 30 year-round platforms for exhibitions and trade of imported goods, with some owned by foreign companies.

"We are excited to be part of CIIE and hope to bring more Japanese commodities to China," said Tomoaki Komori, managing director of Shanghai Takashimaya Co. Ltd, a renowned Japanese department store.

According to Komori, 85 percent of the company's revenue is contributed by overseas consumers, including Chinese, so the company is eager to expand its business to China. The Takashimaya exhibition center in Shanghai will focus on clothing, children's products and food.

Explorium, a perennial exhibition center owned by Fung Group, a Hong Kong-based company, features the latest technical advances including facial recognition systems and drones. These high-tech devices can help analyze consumer gestures and facial expressions to help estimate the likelihood of consumption and help improve business decisions.

IMX International Trade and Exhibition Center with Hong Kong King Wai Group, which has a floor area of about 110,000 square meters, is also scheduled to open before the expo.