Nine years of attending the appointment to delve deeper into China - "Quanqinsheng"'s appointment at the CIIE

Xinhua News Agency, Shanghai, November 5 (Reporters Ding Ting, Zhou Xinyi, Wang Chenyang) The 9th China International Import Expo kicked off in Shanghai on the 5th. Since the first session in 2018, nearly 200 companies and institutions have attended the CIIE as scheduled for nine consecutive years, becoming a veritable "full-time student" of the CIIE.

From a test booth of 9 square meters to a core booth of hundreds of square meters, from signing the first batch of orders to launching a complete industrial chain, these unfinished market entities have continued to increase their practical actions to cast a firm "vote of confidence" in the resilience and potential of the Chinese economy.

From "testers" to "deep cultivators"

The story of doTERRA begins with a 9-square-meter booth. “Frankly speaking, I came to the first session with the mentality of ‘give it a try’,” recalled Mai Owen, president of doTERRA China. That year, doTERRA signed an order of 380 million yuan. Since then, the order volume has climbed to 1 billion yuan, and the booth area has also expanded to 300 square meters.

The changes don't stop at scale. After the second CIIE, Shanxi Pingshun County’s raw material cooperation invitation directly promoted doTERRA to establish its first overseas R&D center in China. "The CIIE is an equal stage. Regardless of the size of the company, the opportunities are exactly the same." Mai Owen said.

As the world's leading life science company, Bayer has participated in the exhibition with its three major business divisions: prescription drugs, consumer health products, and crop science. It has exhibited nearly 70 "first show debut" new products and incubated 17 "CIIE babies" (referring to the results of the CIIE). At the 8th China International Import Expo in 2025, Bayer will bring 26 highlight products with dual booths covering an area of ​​800 square meters and reach more than 10 strategic contracts.

Visitors visit the Bayer booth in the medical equipment and pharmaceutical and health care exhibition area (photo taken on November 7, 2025). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Chen Haoming

Fosun, who is intuitive in the medical field, has also been absent for the ninth time. The da Vinci surgical robot, which debuted at the first CIIE, has gradually entered the operating rooms of hundreds of hospitals across the country from an unfamiliar technology in the eyes of the audience. It has served more than 1 million Chinese patients, completing the leap from an exhibit to routine clinical application.

From “bringing in” to “creating”

The CIIE brings not only products and orders, but also innovation capabilities rooted in China.

"China has upgraded from an essential oil consumer market to an essential oil research and development and raw material supply center." Mai Owen said. Up to now, doTERRA has 23 essential oil raw materials originating from China, and China has become its main source of essential oil raw materials in the world. At the 9th China International Import Expo, doTERRA launched a new essential oil based on perilla, which is the latest achievement of the research and development of local raw materials.

Xinrongmao, a "full-time employee" in the agricultural and food field, has launched more than 20 world-first new products for nine consecutive years. At this CIIE, the company brought three new products including Joyvio White Jade Pearl Durian to the world for the first time, and also displayed South African citrus and other products that benefited from Africa's zero-tariff policy.

This is the Xin Wing Mau booth at the 9th CIIE taken on November 5. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhou Xinyi

For Danone, the value of the CIIE far exceeds the launch of new products. The Danone Shanghai Open Research Center established in 2020 has made many breakthroughs in the fields of breast milk, intestinal function and immunity; on the eve of this CIIE, the Danone Shanghai R&D and Innovation Center was officially opened in Jinqiao, Pudong.

"We have experienced firsthand the spillover effects that the CIIE continues to unleash." Danone Global Senior Vice President Xie Weibo said that the continued increase in R&D in China not only speeds up the local implementation of innovative products, but also connects Chinese results to the global innovation network, fulfilling the promise of "in China, for China, and benefiting the world."

Improved business environment and shared development opportunities

The ninth CIIE has witnessed the continuous optimization of China's business environment, and foreign-funded enterprises are deeply integrated into China's local industrial chain, achieving two-way achievements with the Chinese market.

doTERRA is planning to build a localized production line in Fengxian, Shanghai; Danone Nutricia's Wuxi production base continues to expand, and its products are exported to the world. "The CIIE is more than just an exhibition for Danone. It connects the Chinese market, global technology, industrial cooperation and long-term investment." Xie Weibo said.

This is the Danone booth taken at the seventh China International Import Expo (photo taken on November 8, 2024). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Jiansong

The spillover effect of the CIIE also radiates from Shanghai to the whole country. Olympus, who is also a ninth-term "full-time student", reached an intention to purchase gastrointestinal endoscopy products worth more than 7.5 million yuan with the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China through the "CIIE Entering Anhui" event, becoming a vivid epitome of the CIIE platform linking local areas and empowering industries.

"Perfect Student" is not only a title, but also a commitment. From exhibits to commodities, from Chinese R&D to global sharing, the ninth CIIE has witnessed the mutual achievements of multinational companies and the Chinese market; and the Chinese market, which continues to expand and open up, is also moving from the "world's factory" to the "source of innovation", creating more win-win opportunities for global companies.