Dear friends from the press, good afternoon! Welcome to the Press Conference on “100-day Countdown” of the First China International Import Expo. It is known that President Xi Jinping announced at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in May last year that China will hold the China International Import Expo starting from 2018. Now being 100 days away from the opening of the first China International Import Expo, we are very concerned about the progress of the preparatory work and the actions for the next step.

We are very glad to have invited the Vice Minister of Commerce, the deputy director of the Preparation Committee Office of China International Import Expo, the general director for the on-site preparatory work of the Preparation Committee and head of China International Import Expo Bureau Wang Bingnan and Shanghai Deputy Mayor, deputy director of the Preparation Committee Office of China International Import Expo and the general director for the on-site preparatory work of the Preparation Committee Wu Qing. They will introduce the related situations and answer the questions from the press.

At first, Mr. Wang Bingnan will make an introduction.

[Wang Bingnan] ladies and gentlemen, friends from the press,

Good afternoon, the first China International Import Expo will be grandly opened in 100 days.

First, on behalf of MOFCOM and the Preparation Committee Office of China International Import Expo, I’d like to thank the friends from the press for your attention and support for the first China International Import Expo. Today, Hu Chunhua，the member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice-premier of the State Council，and Li Qiang, the member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Party Secretary of Shanghai, jointly studied and guided the work of the expo, attended the oath-taking rally with the theme of “sprinting in the last 100 days for the success of the expo” and made important speeches. They also unveiled the logo and mascot of the expo, giving us great encouragement and pointing out the direction for the preparatory work of the next step. Next, I will give a concise introduction to the overall progress of the preparatory work for the expo and the slogan, logo and mascot of the expo.

I. About the overall progress on the preparations for the expo

The China International Import Expo is a significant decision of the CPC with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, intending to further promote the new round of important decisions of high-level opening up, and is a major move and action to proactively open Chinese market to the outside world. The first China International Import Expo is one of the four major diplomatic events of China this year. It is of great significance to hold this international event on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up.

Since the preparatory work of the expo was launched in August last year, MOFCOM and Shanghai Municipality, guided by President Xi Jinping’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, have deeply studied the important guiding spirit and instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping. According to the plans of government work report and led by the Preparatory Committee, they will work with all member units of the Preparatory Committee, successfully hold the expo as a practical action to implement the spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress, and make sure that everything will go smoothly. . In general, the preparatory work has progressed smoothly and efficiently, and has achieved the important goals, laying a good foundation for the establishment of a world-class expo.

1) . About the business exhibition. As soon as the news of holding the import expo was announced, it immediately attracted high praise and enthusiastic response from the international community, and the enterprises from other countries actively signed up. The invitation work of the enterprise exhibition was successfully completed with the achievements far beyond expectations. To sum up, the first China International Import Expo has the following outstanding features,

1. First, the scale of the exhibition is large. The enterprises’ business exhibition area covers 270,000 square meters. Compared with the data of the internationally renowned commercial exhibition from international authoritative organizations, the scale of the first China International Import Expo has been among the top of the global commercial exhibition.

2. The attending countries are widely distributed. Up to now, enterprises from more than 130 countries and regions from five continents have confirmed their participation in the enterprise exhibition, including developed countries, developing countries and the least developed countries.

3. The quality of the enterprises is excellent. More than 2,800 exhibitors from the first China International Import Expo are all overseas enterprises, and more than 200 of them are the Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leading companies.

4. There are many new products. According to the preliminary statistics up to now, exhibitors will bring more than 100 new products and new technologies, comprehensively presenting the most cutting-edge, the most avantgarde and the most representative products and service trends in the world. Many companies from developing countries and the least developed countries will also bring their own quality products to the expo.

5. The level of exhibition is high. The first China International Import Expo will be benchmarking with professional exhibitions in the world, and the exhibition area will be divided according to the industry. Display by professions will be implemented and the overall exhibition level will be high. The overall special booths in the whole building will account for 80%, with the automobile exhibition area, consumer electronics and appliances area and high-end intelligent equipment exhibition area taking up 95%, which is much higher than the level of the similar international exhibitions.

6. The supportive polices are very solid. In order to support the first China International Import Expo, relevant departments have formulated and released a series of facilitation measures, such as setting up special courtesy channels at major ports, giving priority to formalities, providing tax and duty guarantees by the organizers for temporary inbound exhibits, extending the valid date of ATA Carnet to one year, simplifying the participation procedures by waiving the exhibits from inspecting food labels, supporting bonded goods exhibition and transactions, and expanding the scope of application to provide real convenience for exhibitors.

2). About the country pavilion for trade & investment. The Area is about 30,000 square meters and it is exclusively reserved for country exhibitions, not for business transactions. So far, 80 countries and 3 international organizations have confirmed their participation. In terms of nationality, the 80 countries are spread across five continents, including 21 developed countries, 50 developing countries and 9 least developed countries. In terms of the feedback of promotion, more than 70 countries out of the 80 have confirmed their exhibition contents covering trade in goods and services, industries, investment and tourism, as well as representative products of the country or region with distinct features, and many countries have planned to hold supportive activities. Besides, the country pavilion will also set up a China Pavilion, focusing on the concept of “opening, integrating, and sharing.” It will fully demonstrate the new look and new actions of China’s open development in the new era by telling the story of “China’s imports,” and will comprehensively demonstrate the positive role of import in China’s the reform and opening up and the Belt and Road construction, as well as the development opportunities for the world brought by China’s opening up on all fronts and the expansion of import in the new era.

3). About the Hongqiao International Trade Forum. This forum includes an opening ceremony and three parallel forums, and the opening ceremony is also the opening ceremony of the first China International Import Expo. The theme of the opening ceremony and the main forum is “inspiring the new vigor of global trade and creating a new pattern of opening up and win-win results.” The three parallel forums will focus on such topics as "trade and opening", "trade and innovation", and "trade and investment", consisting of “honored guests’ speeches” and “interactive discussion，” aiming to forge this forum as a high-level international platform for exchanges to support trade liberalization and promote economic globalization. The WTO, UNCTAD and UNIDO have become the partners of the forum, and the WTO Director-General Azevêdo, UNIDO Director-General Li Yong, the UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi and the ITC Executive Director González have clearly expressed their participation intention. Some heads of countries and governments have also confirmed their participation. At the same time, relevant ministries and commissions, provinces, municipalities, international organizations, and some of the Fortune Global 500 companies will hold more than 100 policy briefings, industry seminars, supply and demand connectivity meetings and new products press conference during the Expo in order to vigorously publicize and interpret China's latest policies for opening up, actively promote the trade connectivity between exhibitors and purchasers, jointly meet the comprehensive needs of the exhibitors, create a warm atmosphere for the exhibition and give a full play to the strong effect of the expo.

4). About organizing the business missions. The organizing work on the business missions has been fully launched in May this year, guiding the business missions to comprehensively mobilize such as import agents, distributors, wholesalers and retailers, production and service companies to participate in the meetings and transactions in accordance with their respective market needs and industrial characteristics. We will carry out the connectivity between supply and demand sides before the exhibition, promote the deals between the key exhibitors and merchants, and develop the online preview system and the exhibitors-merchants’ pre-matching system to facilitate the connectivity between supply and demand. At present, provinces, autonomous regions, cities, municipalities with independent status under national social and economic development plans, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and central SOEs have set up 38 business missions and more than 500 business sub-missions. As of July 26, more than 60,000 enterprises and institutions have signed up online, and the registration work is planned to be completed by the end of August. It is expected that there will be more than 150,000 domestic and foreign buyers.

5). About the city services. As the venue of the China International Import Expo, Shanghai has set up a leading group on urban logistics and formulated a master plan on the city services for the Import Expo and 19 special service plans focusing on the general requirements of “come and go easily and travel smoothly, live and eat easily and easy to control”, paying equal attention to hardware renovation and software upgrading. Later on, Vice Mayor Wu Qing will release more in detail for the aspect.

From now on, the preparations for the Import Expo have entered into the final sprint stage. Under the strong leadership of the CPC and the State Council, we will strengthen horizontal cooperation and vertical linkage according to the unified deployment of the preparatory committee, and further enhance our senses of responsibility, mission and urgency. . With the spirit of “nailing nails” and "doing embroidery", we will make every effort to do all the preparatory work with full attention.

Next, for the remaining 100 days, we will focus on the goal of building a world-class expo and the positioning of diplomatic events at home, mainly doing the following tasks: first, we must pay close attention to the implementation of various tasks, and carefully organize and implement; second, we will launch work practices at different levels on multiple aspects, and make good preparations for forums and major events; third, focusing on promoting transactions, we will do good jobs to support on-site service activities , enlarging the comprehensive effect of the Import Expo; fourth, we will carefully organize the promotional work of the Import Expo to expand the global influence of the Expo and create a better atmosphere; fifth, we will focus on first-class services and do our best to comprehensively serve the participating exhibitors and cities.

II. About the slogan, logo and mascot of the Import Expo

Just now, the friends from the press also attended the unveiling ceremony of the slogan, logo and mascot. It can be said that in order to better build the brand of the Expo, highlight the connotation of the Expo, and enhance the influence and reputation of the Expo, we have both invited famous design organizations and extensively solicited opinions from the society. After several rounds of review for the submission according to the approved procedures, the slogan, logo and mascot of the first China International Import Expo have been identified.

(1) Theme slogan. The theme slogan of the Import Expo is "New era, Shared future". It adheres to the principles and spirit of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits of the "One Belt and One Road" construction, and reveals that the Import Expo will take the thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics by President Xi Jinping in the new era as the guidance, so as to create a new international public platform of the global tolerance, open cooperation and mutual benefit and development, to make the world to share the achievements of China’s development in the new era, and to contribute the strength of China to building an open world economy and promoting the economic globalization to develop toward a direction of more openness, inclusiveness, balance and win-win. This is the moral of the theme slogan.

(2) The logo. The logo of the Import Expo consists of the earth in the middle, the light blue circle on the outside, the Chinese and English names, and the English abbreviations (CIIE) of the Import Expo. In the center of the logo is the earth, which symbolizes the universality, diversity and inclusiveness of the Import Expo. It means that we are committed to building the Import Expo into an open cooperation platform for all the countries around the world to display their national images and conduct the international trade. The green China on the earth embodies that the green development concept of "the lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets", indicates that the Import Expo is firmly focused on the new concept of innovation, coordination, green, openness and sharing and strives to create a first-class green exhibition. The icon on the outside is a light blue circle, which reflects the confidence and magnanimity of China's inclusiveness, symbolizes the close cooperation with other countries and manifests our practical actions of supporting the economic globalization. In the logo, the English name of the Import Expo is "CIIE" for short, and the two letters "II" in the middle look like an open door in shape, which means that the Import Expo is the door of the world to connect the China, international economic and trade cooperation, and friendship of the world people. The font color is Chinese red, symbolizing China's hospitality, and welcoming the guests and friends from all over the world.

(3) The mascot. The mascot of the Import Expo is the giant panda, and we call it as Jinbao. The giant panda is a national treasure and a unique name card of China. Its innocent and charming image and peculiarity are loved by the people all over the world. It has served as a goodwill ambassador for many times and made the indelible contributions to develop the China's friendly relations with the foreign countries. The mascot wore a blue and yellow scarf embroidered with the import fair logo. Among them, the yellow represents the "economic belt of silk road", the blue represents the "maritime silk road in 21st century", and the yellow-blue tonality reflects the close connection between the Import Expo and the initiatives of "One Belt and One Road". The four-leaf clover in the mascot's hands not only represents the main building of the national convention and exhibition center (Shanghai), the host place of the Import Expo, but also has the symbolic meaning of happiness and luck. The mascots are named "Jinbao", which has both the meaning of "the treasure of the Import Expo" and the homonym of "Jinbo (Import Expo)".

Just now, I gave you a brief introduction. I hope you can have a brief and concise understanding on the preparatory work. Thank you again for your concern and support. We warmly welcome our friends from the press to continue to pay attention to the Import Expo. Thank you very much!

Gao Feng: Thanks for the introduction of Mr. Wang Bingnan. Now let’s welcome Mr. Wu Qing.

Wu Qing: Dear friends, good afternoon! Just now, the Vice Minister Wang Bingnan gave a more comprehensive and vivid description of the preparations for the first China International Import Expo, as well as the new logo and mascots, which are very vivid and meaningful. What I will introduce to you is related to our commitments and guarantees. Now I would like to introduce the service guarantee of the First China International Import Expo in Shanghai city.

The holding of the China International Import Expo is a major decision made by the Central Party Committee with President Xi Jinping as its core to promote the high-level opening-up and a major action taken by the Chinese government to open its market to the world positively. So it's not an usual exhibition and also not an usual forum. It is a great event of China and Shanghai as well.

As the host city, Shanghai Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government held the Import Expo as priority this year, and implement the important instructions of "striving to be a world-class exposition" by President Xi Jinping. In accordance with the decision and deployment of the Central Party Committee and the State Council, we will focus on the goals of safety, orderliness, convenience and high-efficiency, promote the urban services and security work with every effort of the whole city. Under the unified leadership of the Preparatory Committee and the support and guidance of the Ministry of Commerce and other departments, all the urban security work has been progressing smoothly.

The first is the comprehensive promotion of the exhibition guarantee work. We will make overall arrangements for the hardware and software upgrading, speed up the expo venue renovation, soft decoration design and artistic layout, etc., and promote the facilities supporting construction such as the urban roads and transportation, comprehensive improvement of the environment and the green landscape., Major projects are being organized and implemented in a timely manner and the overall progress is under control. The main venue of the west hall, the parallel forum venue, the country pavilion and the outdoor space outside the three venues are progressing very smoothly, and the reconstruction of the main venues is expected to be basically completed by the end of August. The green landscape and overall facade of the south square and related supporting projects are expected to be completed by the end of September.

As for the improvement of green city appearance, we have started to promote the greening and improve the environment in the core areas and key peripheral areas, with a total of 763 projects in the five categories, which are expected to be completed by the end of September. Among them, the four river-crossing bridges in Huangpu river have entered the implementation stage, such as the landscape lighting upgrading and transformation, and Pujiang landscape lighting integrated control system, etc.. In the recent several days, you may also see some related introductions on TV. This landscape upgrading will further enhance Shanghai's image and make it more attractive.

In terms of the urban transportation organization, the overall transportation security plan of the import expo has been established, and the key special programs during the exhibition including the car controlling, vehicle parking, rail transit and intensive bus, etc., have been confirmed. A total of 61 items of work will be carried out in the three categories of "supporting facilities’ construction, , overall improvement and operation guarantee", which is scheduled to be completed by the end of September.

In addition, we will start from the traffic markings and the guiding signs of the import expo to refine and optimize the guidelines for the integration of traffic around the national convention and exhibition center, so that all people can see clearly and pass quickly.

The second is the comprehensive upgrading of the security. In accordance with the unified plan of the Ministry of Public Security, Shanghai has established two levels of security system to strengthen the dynamic risk assessment, established the two overall plans and the 16 special schemes such as the passages’ check and control, society prevention and control, and the urban public security. In accordance with the requirements in preparing the combat, waiting for the combat and participating in the combat, we settled the overall thought of "holding the bottom line, holding the overall situation, and holding the important points", adhered to the work idea of "safety, orderliness, looseness, dignity, and high-efficiency", and arranged and strengthened the security deployment. We will comprehensively upgrade the level of intelligence, precision and specialization in the security work by building an all-around and all-covering intelligent security and defense system.

The third is the comprehensive optimization of the urban services. In accordance with President Xi Jinping’s requirements on Shanghai that "the management of the megacities should be as delicate as embroidering the flowers", we should think big and start small, and ensure the quality of the urban services meticulously. This import expo is also an opportunity to further improve the city’s quality and optimize its services.

As for the reception of the domestic and foreign guests, according to the number of domestic and foreign guest groups, the overall plan for the whole city's accommodation security and vehicle security has been established to provide the warm, thoughtful and professional reception services. In terms of the accommodation security, the supply list of more than 1,700 hotels and over 200,000 guest rooms in the city has been made and the hotels have been launched in groups at the official website of the import expo. At the same time, we will firmly maintain the order of the housing market and ensure that the guests can afford the accommodation and live well.

In terms of the catering services, we focus on the three types of areas, including the core areas, radiation areas and the whole city area, etc., the three stages including stages before, during and after the exhibition, and 10 types of key areas, to establish the catering guarantee system and ensure that the food is "available and safe".
In terms of the health care, four medical stations will be set up in the exhibition hall, and 18 medical institutions will be designated to provide the security on the periphery.

The fourth is the comprehensive construction of the urban atmosphere. To promote the strong atmosphere of encouraging the whole society to serve the import expo and participating in it , we will further enhance the people’s awareness of the import expo and its influence, and strive to display and further enhance Shanghai's outstanding city image of being more open and more civilized to the whole world.

We are holding the meritorious competition of "focusing on the expo, building the first class level" as well as a series of activities of "welcoming the import expo, creating the civilized demonstration window, and establishing a service brand in Shanghai", strengthening the promotion of the theme of window civilization, optimizing the service standard of window civilization, and improving the service level of the “window industry.” of At the same time, 5,000 volunteers, 100 "Youth Shanghai" urban civilization volunteer service stations and 100 volunteer service teams were organized to provide the professional volunteer services for the import expo.

In addition, according to the work deployment of the trade organization of the import expo, with support from the relevant departments, we focus on the accurate matching and effective purchasing, and have set up Shanghai trade groups. We strive to build the one-stop trade promotion platform of "6 days + 365 days" support the exhibitors to “take part in the expo for a week, gain the service for a year”, promote to change the “exhibits” into “goods”, and make more high-quality goods and services to enter the Chinese market more conveniently. We endeavor to make an import expo whose curtain never falls. Therefore, the trading organization system of "2+4+18" is constructed. "2" means the online and offline platforms of the "6 days +365 days" one-stop trading promotion platform. "4" means the four major alliances: the cross-border import e-commerce alliance, exhibition and sales service alliance, large-scale retail purchasers’ alliance and the comprehensive trade service alliance. "18" refers to 18 trading sub-missions including 16 district sub-missions, state-owned sub-missions and service trade sub-missions to further promote the matching, exchange and contract signing. Up to July 25, more than 11,000 enterprises (units) in Shanghai had registered to participate in the procurement, and nearly 50,000 people had registered as the professional visitors.

Friends from the media and all our guests, there are still 100 days to before the opening of the first China International Import Expo, which will be a focus of the world. The going is toughest towards the end of a journey. Shanghai government will deploy in accordance with the decision of the CPC central committee and the state council to carry out the preparatory committee work requirements, continuously optimize the city protection programs and processes, endeavor to overcome the difficulties in the last 100 days powerful and orderly, promote the city services security work meticulously, and thus ensure that the whole city will work hard to hold first import expo successfully! At the same time, Shanghai will take the opportunity of holding the first import expo, adhere to the implementation of high requirements, the matching of high standards, and high quality development, deeply complete the trade upgrading, consumption upgrading and open-up upgrading, and comprehensively improve the urban energy level and Shanghai’s core competitiveness in the new era.
Finally, on behalf of the Shanghai municipal government, I sincerely invite all friends from the media, all friendly persons and audiences from all walks of life, professional audiences and non-professional audiences. We welcome everyone. In particular, we welcome all friends from the media to come here for interviews and reports. We will jointly promote the successful holding of the first China international import expo. Thank you!

Gao Feng: Thanks for Mr Wu Qing’s introduction! Now let's go to the question and answer session. The journalists could ask some questions about the theme of the news conference today. On a regular basis, please tell us the name of your news agency before asking questions. Now let's start with questions.

China Media Group: Vice Minister Wang, as you said, President Xi Jinping noted at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia this year that the China International Import Expo is not just another expo in an ordinary sense, but an initiative and commitment of China to open the market of its own accord. In terms of preparing for the first CIIE, how do you interpret and practice the idea of “not in an ordinary sense”?

Wang Bingnan: Thank you for your question. It is very important. President Xi Jinping has reiterated that the CIIE is not an ordinary expo. As I just introduced to members of the media that hosting the first CIIE is a major decision by the CPC central committee with Comrade Xi as the core to push for a new round of high-level opening up, and a major measure of China to take the initiative to open up its market. It is conducive to expanding import and promoting balanced growth in foreign trade, to improving supply structure and leading enterprises on a path of development driven by innovation, and to boosting high-quality economic growth and better meeting people’s ever-growing demands for a better life. As trade protectionism has raised its ugly head and economic globalization met with setbacks, the CIIE, as the world’s first national exhibition themed on import, is not only helpful to stabilize market expectations at home and abroad, and demonstrate China’s consistent stance against trade protectionism, but also a real action to show the world China’s unwavering determination and confidence in opening up, and to speed up the building of an open world economy and a community with shared future for mankind.

As one of the four major diplomatic events at home this year, the first CIIE will provide another important support for international cooperation under the Belt and Road framework after the AIIB. We are willing to work with other countries to build the Expo into an open cooperation platform for countries to present their development achievements and trade with each other, an international public good facilitating economic globalization, and a signature program practicing new development concepts and promoting a new round of high-level opening up.

Besides the significance and objective of the CIIE that are not ordinary, let me show you other aspects that are not ordinary from the perspective of the exhibition per se compared with other well-known fairs at home and abroad.

First, importance attached to the expo. The CIIE is an initiative personally announced and promoted by President Xi Jinping, who has given an array of important instructions on how to meticulously organize the expo. In this year’s government work report, Premier Li Keqiang specifically noted that we should host a successful inaugural CIIE. The State Council set up the CIIE preparatory committee consisting of 34 ministries, relevant agencies, and Shanghai Municipality. Comrades Wang Yang and Hu Chunhua have served as Chair in succession, taking charge of preparations for the CIIE. It is fair to say that the blessing of the CPC central committee and State Council leaders provides a strong guarantee for preparing for the CIIE.

Second, content and theme. The CIIE is by far the world’s first national expo themed on import, blazing a new trail in the history of international trade. This unique initiative on trade and economic fronts stands in stark contrast to the inward-looking tendency in some countries’ trade policies. As I’ve just introduced, this is the first time we prepare for the CIIE and the scale is already unprecedented with an area of 270,000 square meters, making the expo one of the top international fairs. Therefore, as far as the content and theme are concerned, no other country has done this before.

Third, structure and design. The CIIE incorporates presentation of national development achievements, business and enterprise exhibition, and international trade forum into one platform for the first time. The three-in-one structure distinguishes the CIIE from other exhibitions, which is another feature of the expo. It is a daunting task for us to do all three things in six days.

Fourth, threshold and standard. The first CIIE preparatory work has followed the general requirements of first class enterprises, products, environment, services and outcomes. We have applied this philosophy in all lines of our work in the principle of high threshold, standard and requirement with a view to showcasing the best companies, technologies and products, providing premium services, and creating best exhibition experience.

Fifth, scale and level. By far, over 2,800 enterprises from 130 plus countries and regions have confirmed their participation in enterprise and business exhibition, whose total area covers 270,000 square meters. It is projected over 150,000 purchasers from China and beyond will come to the exhibition, fully speaking to the appeal, influence and vigor of the CIIE. Besides, many enterprises are waiting in the wing, eager for a chance to participate.

Sixth, international response. the CIIE is not a solo by China, but a symphony by all countries. Over 80 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in national pavilion. It is estimated that close to 100 foreign political leaders, heads of international organizations and senior officials above ministerial level will attend the expo.

Seventh, effect of the platform. The CIIE does not just provide a platform for trade in goods and services, but also presents national development achievements and hosts discussions on big issues related to trade and economic cooperation. It is a comprehensive public platform for international cooperation. The Hongqiao International Trade Forum will conduct in-depth dialogues and discussions on major and hotspot international trade issues, where brilliant ideas will be exchanged on the new trend, change and evolution of international trade and economic cooperation. The forum will contribute advice and ideas to the development of international trade and push for more open, inclusive, balanced and win-win global economic growth that benefits all.

Eighth, urban logistics. Hosting the CIIE is an arduous systematic job. Vice Mayor Wu Qing has told you there is no example to draw on. Urban logistics face a big challenge. As the host city of the CIIE, Shanghai sets up a leading group on logistics with 19 sub-groups, a master plan and detailed arrangements. They attach equal importance to hardware and software upgrading, and work in full swing to advance work on all fronts. It is a daunting task. So, that’s my observations on what makes the first CIIE different from an ordinary exhibition. Thank you.

CNR: The first CIIE is the first large-scale expo themed on import. It will surely attract plenty of guests and purchasers from home and abroad. I have a question for Vice Mayor Wu Qing of Shanghai. Faced with a large flow of visitors and high requirements for urban logistics, how will Shanghai get prepared in transport, accommodation and catering to provide “warm” services?

Wu Qing: Thank you. Your question about “warm” services is quite relevant today, because the temperature outside is quite high. The public security forces standing outside may have a better understanding of the temperature. I hope, during the Expo, we will be able to provide services at an appropriate, comfortable temperature. As you said, plenty of visitors will be coming to Shanghai for the world’s first national expo themed on import. Vice Minister Wang just talked about the eight aspects of “not in an ordinary sense”, including urban services, which means that we’ll try to provide urban services at a comfortable temperature.

It is estimated that this Expo will be attended by about 400,000 exhibitors and 150,000 purchasers from home and abroad. It will be accompanied with a large number of high-level diplomatic events, which poses a challenge, neither too big nor too small, for urban logistics.

I say so because the challenge itself is big, but given the importance we attach to it and with our preparation, we’re confident of meeting the challenge. Following the overall planning of the organizing committee, Vice Premier Hu Chunhua and Secretary Li Qiang have underlined on many occasions, including on the 100-day countdown event held just now, that we should strive for perfection in providing urban logistic services. In doing so, we hope all visitors from home and abroad will have a pleasant stay in Shanghai, receive services at a comfortable temperature and be left with a good impression. We hope they’ll want to stay in Shanghai or come here again.

To be more specific, as for transport, considering the concentration of a large flow of passengers in a short time, we will coordinate with civil aviation and railway departments to arrange more flights and trains to guarantee that exhibitors, purchasers and guests can “come and go easily and enjoy smooth urban transport”. We have drawn lessons from the urban transport organization models of the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and Automobile Shanghai, among other large-scale exhibitions and taken large-scale exhibitions held since the beginning of this year as our stress tests and chances for improvement. Through transport regulatory measures, we’ll ensure “targeted transport regulation on the opening day, orderly transport when the Expo is open to professional purchasers and controllable transport when it’s open to the public”. We will set up a multi-layer and intensive passenger transport system, a road system with diverted traffic and controllable demand, an information system with all-round sensing and customized services, a comprehensive management system with coordinated operation and multiple measures. We’ll strive to guarantee convenient and smooth urban transport during the Expo. I mean convenient and smooth in relative terms. Taking this opportunity, I’d like to call on every one to use public transport as much as possible, especially when there is heavy traffic. The public transit system will improve its capacity accordingly.

As for accommodation, given the possible peak demand of 400,000 visitors, we will ensure a secure room supply, stable prices and better hotel services. We’ll ensure that hotel rooms are available and affordable. We will prevent any behavior of picking, bullying and overcharging customers. Shanghai does not allow overcharging. We’ll make sure that guests from home and abroad will be satisfied with their stay in Shanghai.

On catering, we’ll provide catering services that features quality food and hospitality and showcases Shanghai’s distinctive cuisine culture. At the same time, we’ll take into account individualized demand and try to provide some Shanghai-style halal, kosher and vegetarian meals. We’ll ensure that all exhibitors, purchasers and visitors have access to reliable food. On top of that, we’ll develop e-maps and guidance maps to help different groups of people to find quality catering services.

This is my answer to the question about “warm” services.

Phoenix Satellite TV: I have a question for Vice Minister Wang. Since its announcement, the CIIE has attracted wide attention from the international community and businesses from different countries have actively signed up for it. What measures will you take to guarantee fruitful results at the CIIE?

Wang Bingnan: Thank you. Your question is also what the exhibitors and purchasers care about.

One of the important purposes of holding the CIIE is to provide public goods for expanding the national influence of countries at different development stages and deepening international trade and economic cooperation. Now, the focus of CIIE preparations has turned into attracting purchasers and organizing the exhibition. As the hosts, MOFCOM and Shanghai will work together with other departments and local governments to strengthen overall planning, make thoughtful arrangements and take multiple measures to guarantee fruitful results at the Expo. We will roll out our work in the following aspects.

First, organizing business missions. The office of the organizing committee has convened three meetings on this regard. Provinces, autonomous regions, cities, municipalities with independent status under national social and economic development plans, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and central SOEs have set up 38 business missions. So far, 60,000 enterprises have signed up, covering importers, wholesalers and retailers as well as producers and service providers. Besides, we’ll also invite purchasers that foreign exhibitors expect to connect with so as to facilitate targeted matches among exhibitors and purchasers.

Second, facilitating exhibitors-purchasers matches before the Expo. First, we try to get a clear picture of domestic businesses’ import demand, provide business missions with timely information on exhibitors, match the exhibitors and purchasers before the Expo in a targeted manner, focus on matching key exhibitors and purchasers and lock up transaction intent through new channels and models like online matching. Since this March, three collective signing ceremonies for exhibitors and four matching events have been held, generating fruitful results. Second, we provide guidance to local business missions on identifying key purchasers, deciding on the number of business attendees at an early date based on market demand and industrial characteristics, encouraging import agents, dealers, wholesalers, retailers, producers and services providers to attend the Expo and encouraging purchasers to import advanced technological equipment, key parts, quality consumer goods and services. This is the second aspect, facilitating exhibitors-purchasers matches before the Expo.

Third, organizing all kinds of supporting activities. We have made master plans and thoughtful arrangements for over a hundred supporting activities, including sector-specific and area-specific policy interpretations, for a and industrial seminars. During the Expo, relevant central government departments will interpret policies related to the further open-up in some areas. Besides, we’ll also facilitate the targeted matches and transactions between exhibitors and purchasers on multiple levels and fronts and through various channels. The over 100 supporting activities to be held will focus on interpreting policies and facilitating transactions.

Fourth, providing policy support to achieve first-class results. As mentioned earlier, to support the first CIIE, member departments of the organizing committee have formulated a series of facilitation measures. For example, the General Administration of Customs has formulated and then announced a CIIE clearance guidance, including policies like “single window” and “Internet Plus” customs clearance. As said earlier, we’ll simplify participation procedures, exempt inspections on food tags, simplify customs procedures after the Expo for exhibitors’ convenience and support bonded exhibition and transactions. These measures have never been taken before the CIIE.

Fifth, providing supporting services for the Expo. A moment ago, Vice Mayor Wu Qing introduced their preparations for urban logistics. To provide first-class services during the Expo, we’ll channel great efforts to provide all-dimensional urban services. We’ll set up an on-site one-stop customs service window to make it more convenient for exhibitors to seek consultancy regarding clearance. We’ll set up a “6 days + 365 days” one-stop transaction service platform to facilitate the transactions of imported goods and hold an Expo that never ends. At the same time, Shanghai has set up a leading group on urban logistics to guarantee quality road, civil aviation and railway services and enjoyable expo experiences.

Sixth, stepping up hardware and software renovation. We will benchmark against the highest standard and roll out hardware renovation and software upgrading at exhibition venues to create a first-class environment. We’ll try to provide first-class on-site services through building 5 services systems, namely, the systems for foreign exhibitors, for visitors, for transaction facilitation, for fora and conferences as well as for reception and logistics. Of course, we’ll also provide first-class services for our friends from the press to get wider media coverage.
Thank you.

Shanghai TV Station: A question for the leader of Shanghai municipal government. As the host of China International Import Exposition, how can Shanghai make good use of the opportunity of the CIIE to further enhance the city’s class and core competitiveness?

Wu Qing: As the host city of the CIIE, on the one hand, Shanghai needs to do a good job in hosting this national event in order not to fail the trust and confidence of the central authorities. On the other hand this is also an important opportunity to comprehensively upgrade Shanghai’s new round of opening up to the outside world, further build the core competitiveness of the city, and further improve Shanghai’s urban management and services. The CIIE itself is also a vehicle for us to increase openness to the outside world. Therefore, while providing good services for the CIIE, we will take full advantage of the spillover effect of the CIIE, enhance the core functions of the trade center, develop a higher level of open economy, build a strong support for the development of Shanghai in the new era, and promote higher quality development and higher life quality. All these are very important opportunities for us to enhance the class and core competitiveness of the city.

First, we should further accelerate our bid to build Shanghai into an international consumer city with global influence. The CIIE brings together high-quality goods and services from all over the world. Just now Vice Minister Wang said that more than 2,800 quality enterprises, quality goods and quality services from more than 130 countries will converge here. Shanghai will strengthen the synergies with the CIIE, create a global consumer market, and develop a business culture commensurate with the city’s positioning as a global city of excellence. The CIIE is more than just a display of goods and services. We hope to take this opportunity to build a global consumer market, develop a commercial culture, pool more of the world’s newest and trendiest consumer brands, create a global premiere of new products, speed up the building of an international consumer goods distribution hub, attract more internationally well-known business brands, product brands and service brands to the exposition, and achieve the goals of “buy global, sell global”, “to shop, come to Shanghai”, and “to buy global, come to Shanghai”. We hope to create the best consumer environment in the world, and reinforce the city’s “Shop in Shanghai” image.

Second, Shanghai will take this as an opportunity to speed up the bid to build itself into an international trade center city that serves as a hub. Through holding the CIIE, the city will further actively expand imports, promote the innovation and development of trade in services, enhance trade facilitation, and strive to strengthen the core functions of the international trade center. In addition to what Shanghai’s supposed to do, the central government and related departments will also study how to improve facilitation, further optimize the trade structure, and promote quality import and export. They shall optimize the service function, improve the “6 + 365” one-stop trade promotion platform, and create a sourcing center and hub for imported goods that connects the Yangtze River Delta, serves the whole country and reaches out to the Asia-Pacific region. They shall further optimize the trade environment and promote breakthroughs in a package of trade supervision systems. Just now Vice Minister Wang introduced that departments including the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Finance are studying relevant policies. Supporting policies such as allowing exhibited items to enter the bonded supervision facilities after the exhibition and extending the validity period for ATA carnets have both been implemented. More trade facilitation measures will be introduced as normal institutional arrangements subsequently.

Third, Shanghai will take this as an opportunity to build a new carrier to expand opening up and seek higher quality of opening up and development. Openness is Shanghai’s biggest advantage. The city is built on openness. We will fully implement the spirit of President Xi Jinping’s speech on further expanding opening up at the Boao Forum for Asia, do a good job in hosting the landmark project of the CIIE, and strive to develop an open economy of a higher level. We will further implement a number of major reform and opening-up initiatives, promote synergies between the CIIE and the 100 measures on expanding opening up, relax the restrictions on establishing foreign investment companies, further strive to introduce a number of opening-up initiatives for advanced manufacturing and services, and build a new highland for opening up and development. We will push forward the implementation of a batch of regional cooperation projects, and build platforms, share opportunities and promote integrated development by implementing the cooperation agreement of the Yangtze River Delta region to serve and support the China International Import Exposition. We will plan a number of investment promotion activities in connection with the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up activities, enhance publicity of Shanghai’s effort to open up, organize the “Coming to Shanghai” investment and trade matchmaking activity, attract more traders and investors to Shanghai, and promote the further optimization and improvement of the business environment, in order to gather new momentum for achieving high-quality development. That is my answer to your question, thank you!

Lian He Zao Bao: Just now Vice Minister Wang talked about the preparations for the exhibition of the CIIE, whose scale is quite substantive. Could you talk about the participation of Singaporean and Southeast Asian enterprises, including their numbers or sectors? Thank you.

Wang Bingnan: Thank you for your question. On the participation of Singaporean and Southeast Asian countries, so far 309 enterprises from the 10 ASEAN countries have confirmed their participation in the first CIIE, occupying an exhibition area of nearly 18,000 square meters. Among them, Singaporean enterprises have actively signed up to the CIIE, with 60 exhibitors and an exhibition area of about 7,500 square meters, ranking first among ASEAN countries. The enterprises are mainly in the food and daily consumer goods exhibition area and the services trade area.

Ta Kung Pao: Vice Minister Wang, under the background of Sino-US trade war, what is the opportunity will the China International Import Exposition bring? For example, what are the measures for protecting property rights? Thank you!

Wang Bingnan: Thank you for your question. Holding the China International Import Exposition is necessitated by China’s bid to voluntarily expand opening up to the outside world and promote high-quality economic development. It is also of great significance in promoting economic globalization and trade liberalization. As I have already talked about it before, I will not repeat it here.

Regarding the protection of intellectual property rights, the Chinese government has always attached importance to IPR protection and has been developing and perfecting the IPR system. In recent years, the level of IPR protection in China has been greatly improved, and the awareness of intellectual property rights in the whole society has been enhanced while the business environment in terms of the rule of law, internationalization and facilitation has been improved continuously. While strengthening domestic intellectual property rights protection, China adheres to an open attitude and actively engages in exchanges and cooperation with various countries on intellectual property rights.

The China International Import Exposition will be a launch pad for new technologies and products. We attach great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights at the CIIE, and will take it as an important task, focus on creating a fair trading environment and effectively safeguard the interests of all parties involved in the exhibitions:

First, we will work out a work plan for intellectual property rights protection at the CIIE, formulate and improve regulations for the management of exhibited items at the exhibitions, strengthen pre-exhibition examination, and prevent the occurrence of infringement at the source.

Second, we will set up a service center for intellectual property protection and the handling of commercial disputes on the spot during the CIIE, do a good job in risk prevention and publicity guidance and provide intellectual property rights dispute mediation services.

Third, we will facilitate the exhibitors in their applying for and obtaining the protection of intellectual property rights. We will produce propaganda brochures on intellectual property rights for the CIIE, set up special columns on intellectual property rights on the official website, and provide information about laws, regulations and guidelines on intellectual property rights.

Four, we will increase the investigation and enforcement efforts, investigate infringements of the intellectual property rights of exhibitors according to law, crack down on illegal activities including the selling of counterfeits and shoddy goods, protect the legitimate intellectual property rights of all enterprises, and strive to turn the CIIE into an excellent model of IPR protection in China’s exhibition and convention business.

Gao Feng: Due to time restraint, last question, please.

CGTN: We know that in order to better organize the expo and provide all-round services, Shanghai sets up a “6+365” one-stop trade promotion platform. What progress has been made in building the platform and which services will be provided? In fact, what matters for these exhibitors is not just the exhibition, but real access to China’s market. How will the platform help them combine exhibiting and selling together? Thank you.

Wu Qing: Thank you very much for the professional question. According to the implementation plan, Shanghai is building a “6+365” one-stop trade promotion platform, hoping to give exhibitors access to a week of exhibition and a year of services. By turning exhibits into goods, we hope to facilitate entry of more premium enterprises, premium goods and premium services to Chinese market and build an import expo that never ends.

The online platform was launched in April this year with five functions, namely exhibition, deal-making, legal consultancy, e-shop, business consultancy and services.

A batch of extraordinary platforms that are open for exhibition and transaction permanently has been selected as offline platforms which will continue to provide exhibition, deal-making and services after the 6-day expo. These include comprehensive services, cross-border e-commerce, professional trade and country-specific goods center.

As you mentioned, how to integrate exhibition with selling holds the key to maximize the effect of the CIIE. Vice Minister Wang has given a macro-level introduction in this regard. Shanghai will build on the one-stop platform and better serve foreign exhibitors, especially the SMEs who are not familiar with China, in a cross-the-board, multi-channel and diverse manner.

We also welcome participation by companies countrywide in the platform so that exhibitors and purchasers can dovetail nicely and achieve win-win results. We are willing to provide professional, premium and efficient services. That’s my brief response to your question. Thank you.

Gao Feng: This concludes today’s press conference. I want to thank the two speakers again. And thank you all.