Global companies see CIIE as essential for promoting innovative products, technologies

The China International Import Expo (CIIE) has attracted global attention.

It is not only a part of the government’s plan to open up to the outside world, but also an important event for foreign companies to seek business opportunities and develop new businesses in the Chinese market.

This year’s CIIE continues to have a large scale with more than 360,000 square meters of exhibition space and a total of 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions.

The number of participating countries (regions) and companies exceeds last year, with the number of the world’s top 500 and industry-leading enterprises at the exhibition reaching 297, a record high.

Among them, 186 have been at every CIIE, while companies like Invista, Nippon Paint, and Advantest Corporation are joining the CIIE for the first time.

What does the CIIE mean to companies? In recent interviews, executives from Dun & Bradstreet, Sony, and Nippon Paint shared their thoughts.

Dun & Bradstreet

Dun & Bradstreet, a business information service provider founded in the United States in 1841, is no stranger to the CIIE. This year is the company’s fifth appearance at the annual trade fair.

D&B has successfully turned exhibits into sales throughout the years.

“Every year, we release new products through the CIIE,” said Wu Guangyu, general manager of D&B China. “For example, D&B Data Blocks released in 2020, and Global Market Development Digital Solutions released in 2022 have received very good market response.”

At this year’s CIIE, the company is releasing another new product: ChatD&B, the world’s first enterprise data generative AI assistant.

“This AI assistant will allow users to quickly access relevant information about business entities, thus helping enterprises and organizations make smarter decisions,” Wu said.

“We will continue to focus on the needs of the Chinese market, increase our investment in production and research in China to launch more products and services that combine global data with local expertise. The significance of the Chinese market is undoubtedly huge,” Wu noted.

Sony

This is the third year that Sony has participated at the CIIE, and Takehito Soeda, vice president of Sony China, marveled at China’s economic takeoff.

“Sony has been present in the Chinese market for more than 40 years and is both a participant and a witness to China’s reform and opening up,” Soeda said. “China, as the world’s second-largest economy, has a global status that cannot be ignored.”

At last year’s CIIE, Sony announced the official introduction of the YURU Music program in China and it has received widespread attention and support.

“We also displayed Sony’s innovative sustainability technologies and successfully launched business partnerships with two companies,” Soeda said.

This year, Sony has brought sustainable materials with breakthroughs, and new attempts to combine technology and music.

The SORPLAS™ New CMF Color Palette Sample for example, breaks the limitations of traditional flame-retardant plastics and expands its application scenarios in sustainable space design and display.

“We have brought our new floor haptics immersive entertainment solutions, aiming at offering people a special entertainment experience,” Soeda said. “By participating in the CIIE, we not only showcase our latest technology and sustainable concepts to China and the world, but also leverage the opportunity to have in-depth exchanges with partners, industry leaders, and consumers from around the world.”

“The strategic significance of the CIIE for a company’s future development cannot be overstated,” he concluded.

Nippon Paint

For the first time, Nippon Paint is participating at the CIIE as an exhibitor, with its booth in the Intelligent Industry & Information Technology and New Material Special Zone, a new zone set up for the first time at this year’s expo. Eric Chung, CEO of Nippon Paint China, is full of expectations.

“We have brought two global premieres: Photocatalytic Coating and Smart Road Marking Paint, and our booth covers six themes including urban air purification, intelligent road construction, etc,” said Chung.

According to Chung, these products reflect both the company’s global technological resources and local research and development in China, with strong performance in efficiency, sustainability, and environmental protection.

Nippon Paint is premiering a special anti-fouling coating that is said to be able to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 14 percent. It’s expected to be launched in China next year after its premiere at the CIIE.

“China is the most important market for Nippon Paint, and we have already invested in 74 factories and 10 R&D centers in China, with one Asia-Pacific R&D center under construction,” Chung said.

“We will pay close attention to the changes and needs of the Chinese market and bring targeted and innovative products and technologies here,” he added. “We believe in China.”