Kick off of the long awaited first China International Import Expo (CIIE), this Monday, 05 November, in Shanghai. Widely advertised, this event is welcoming more than 18 Presidents and Head of States and astonishing 4100 journalists from about 630 news agencies around the world, to witness China's move from being a big seller to an even bigger buyer.  Indeed, the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, highlighted that in the next fifteen years China intends to import a value of 30 trillion USD of products and 10 trillion USD of Services. 
Being a worldwide event, 1600 companies from 172 countries are participating with over 400 000 Chinese and foreign buyers, present to explore business deals. Mauritius is also present.

The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, emphasized during his opening speech that the CIIE is the first import expo to be organized at national level, being a major innovation in the history of global trade for a new higher standard opening-up. “This is a major initiative to widen our market in the world promoting free trade and support economic globalisation. The CIIE offers a platform to deepen international cooperation. Protectionism is resurging bringing uncertainties and instabilities. We need to work together to cope with risks and challenges and people with vision will agree that economic globalisation will boost the world's economic growth."

Laetitia Melidor

Shanghai, China