China International Consumer Products Expo opens with record scale of global participation

The fifth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) opened in south China's island province of Hainan on Sunday with a record scale of global participation.

More than 1,700 companies from 71 countries and regions are participating in China's only national-level exhibition focused on consumer goods, showcasing over 4,100 brands.

Two special exhibition zones, respectively, on artificial intelligence (AI) and low-altitude economy applications, are set for the first time in Hall No. 1, where nearly 90 enterprises are showcasing their newest products and services, including more than 20 leading corporations in consumer electronics and cutting-edge sci-techs.

Brands like Huawei and Unitree are demonstrating products such as the latest smartphones and humanoid robots.

Live displays of low-altitude techs, such as Xpeng AeroHT's "flying car" and EHang's drones for cross-sea transport and tourism, are taking center stage.

China's Ministry of Commerce, one of the organizers of the CICPE, launched the "Shopping in China" campaign on Sunday morning, a nationwide initiative promoting shopping, dining, and tourism, as well as exhibitions and performances with about 30 activities throughout the year.

"Since five years (ago), we [have been participating in this] Hainan expo. We have now a company in Hainan. I am now living in Hainan. We have customers all over China. It's very big. The opportunity of China is the size of the market," said Ramel Francois Felix, CEO of Les Vignerons du Castelas.

"When we joined the consumer products expo last year, 80 percent of the exhibits we brought here were produced exactly according to designs for Pakistani people. So this year, we have brought different exhibits, many of which were designed with Chinese cultural elements," said a Pakistani exhibitor.

The first Singaporean exhibition group of enterprises appeared at the expo.

"Singapore selected five enterprises to attend the fifth CICPE. China's huge consumer market is their primary focus, and they hope this expo will help them enter the Chinese market and find some good business partners to sell their products better," said Liu Peng, chief representative with the Singapore representative office of the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development.

The 2025 CICPE is bridging global brands with China's market, highlighting Hainan's role as a key free trade hub.

China International Consumer Products Expo opens with record scale of global participation

China International Consumer Products Expo opens with record scale of global participation

China International Consumer Products Expo opens with record scale of global participation

China International Consumer Products Expo opens with record scale of global participation

President of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Lee Jae Myung has expressed his hope that his upcoming visit to China will help eliminate past misunderstandings and issues, underscoring the importance of ties between the two countries.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Lee will pay a state visit to China from Jan 4 to 7. It will be Lee's first visit to China since he took office.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) in Seoul on Wednesday, Lee acknowledged the existing misunderstandings and issues between the two countries, noting that addressing these issues is a key goal of his visit.

"The current international landscape is turbulent, with escalating issues among various countries. In this context, the relationship between the Republic of Korea and China holds significant importance for us. the ROK and China are deeply interconnected in many areas, including history, economy, geopolitics, politics and security. Northeast Asia's peace, stability, mutual respect, and common prosperity are crucial for both countries," said Lee.

"Admittedly, there have been some misunderstandings and issues between the ROK and China, which have hindered the development of bilateral relations to some extent. Therefore, the purpose of my upcoming visit to China is to minimize or eliminate these past issues, foster a leap in our bilateral relations to a new level, and solidify the ROK and China as partners that mutually support each other's development," he said.

ROK President hopes to reduce misunderstandings with China during upcoming visit