SHANGHAI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 200 Fortune 500 companies have signed up for the second China International Import Expo (CIIE), according to the organizer.
A total of 20 out the leading 30 companies in the medical equipment industry worldwide will attend the expo in November in Shanghai, according to Sun Chenghai, vice director of the CIIE bureau.
The booth area for businesses at the second CIIE will be expanded to 300,000 square meters, said Sun, adding that new technologies such as AR and VR, self-driving cars and the Internet of Things will make an appearance.
More than 1,800 companies have signed up. Over 900 companies from 77 countries and regions, including from 17 G20 members countries and over 30 countries related with the Belt and Road Initiative, have confirmed participation.
LVMH, the world's biggest luxury goods company, announced its participation in March.
Taking part is "a clear testimony of our confidence in the long-term vigor of the Chinese economy and our friendship for its people," said Antoine Arnault, a senior LVMH executive.
Other new attendees include companies such as Shiseido, Estee Lauder and Bombardier.
Kentaro Fujiwara, CEO of Shiseido China Region, expressed hopes that the company will showcase its image to the whole world at the expo.
L'Oreal, one of the first international companies to sign up for the inaugural CIIE, has started preparing for this year's event to debut new products and innovative ideas, said Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of the company.
"We shared our experience during the CIIE bureau's promotion tour in Paris for this year's CIIE, and convinced other French companies to attend as well," Agon said.
"We are working on plans to extend the exhibition period of national pavilion of the second CIIE for about 10 days, as an answer to the overwhelming enthusiasm towards the CIIE of Chinese citizens," said Shang Yuying, director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.
Shanghai Customs is working on measures to support the second CIIE, including a big data platform and supporting the establishment of year-round bonded exhibition areas.
Volunteer recruiting will start soon, with more international volunteers from Belt and Road countries and regions expected.
A total of 172 countries, regions and international organizations and more than 3,600 enterprises participated in the first CIIE, held Nov. 5-10 in Shanghai, the world's first import-themed national-level expo.
Deals for intended one-year purchases of goods and services worth 57.83 billion U.S. dollars were signed at the first CIIE.
