Praise for expo's effect on the city

Local social science researchers have praised the China International Import Expo's role in improving the city's business environment, raising its urban competitiveness and promoting investment.

Tang Yunyi, a researcher with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, told a meeting that China's ranking in the World Bank Group's Doing Business 2020 report had improved to 31st place, up from 46th a year earlier.

"The economic growth in an area requires the provision of a more widely beneficial, fairer and more sustainable business environment," said Tang. "The CIIE facilitates more policies on fields like foreign investment and service industry.

"During the CIIE, China can let the world learn more about China and boost the country's deepening reform and continuing opening-up."

Su Ning, associate research fellow of the World Economy Research Institute of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said the CIIE being hosted in Shanghai not only increases the city's urban core competitiveness but also shows that its core competitiveness has entered a new stage.

"If we say the 2010 Shanghai World Expo made the city's urban core competitiveness enter its stage 1.0, the annual CIIE helps it to grow to stage 2.0. The former's influence only lasted for six months but the latter's can last lifelong," said Su. "Through the CIIE, Shanghai's urban competitiveness, especially in opening-up, innovation and culture, and regional integration will be more significant."

Wu Qisheng, an assistant professor at the Institute of International Relations, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said many CIIE participants had invested in China and attended the expo as foreign investors. "From my point of view, the CIIE is also an expo of investment. Many investment companies in China have introduced their products and services from overseas to China and this platform can help these companies expand their market share."

Xue Lei, an assistant research fellow of the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, said the CIIE can also allow people in China to experience the latest technologies from all over the world, which was very important in the current new industrial revolution.