The National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), located in the heart of the Hongqiao International CBD, serves as the venue for the CIIE. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
The Shanghai Hongqiao International Central Business District (CBD) has made significant strides in leveraging the China International Import Expo (CIIE) to enhance its status as a global trade gateway.
According to the 2025 CIIE Spillover Effect Index Report, the Hongqiao Index reached 82.75, with an average annual growth rate of 50.45 percent – adding up to a 412 percent increase since 2020. Innovative CIIE policies have been institutionalized in the area.
The CBD is developing a national-level demonstration zone for import trade promotion and innovation. It has accelerated the development of three 10-billion-yuan (roughly $1.45 billion) trading platforms, including the Hongqiao Import Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center and the Greenland Global Commodity Trading Hub Group.
These platforms have facilitated the transformation of "exhibits into commodities" and "exhibitors into investors", with 68 sub-centers established. CIIE exhibitors such as Samyang, IFBH, KPMG, and Porsche have set up operations in the area.
The district has also emerged as a pioneering global digital trade hub, hosting more than 7,000 digital economy enterprises. A 10-billion-yuan livestreaming e-commerce base has also been established, featuring specialized scenarios such as exhibition plus livestreaming and CIIE premium products.
Additionally, the exhibition space of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), where the CIIE is held annually, now covers more than 700,000 square meters, accounting for more than 40 percent of the city's total exhibition area.
The International Convention and Exhibition Industry Park in Hongqiao has attracted 534 enterprises, while the 365 Trade Fair platform has facilitated trade by providing information on 350 domestic and international exhibitions, along with 4,269 CIIE exhibitors and 9,077 products.
