Global exhibitors who will participate in the 8th China International Import Expo (CIIE) have already been actively seeking business cooperation opportunities months in advance.
The 8th CIIE will be held in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10 this year, with a 100-day countdown to the event starting on Sunday.
This is the first time for Peruvian entrepreneur Teo Rojas to attend the import expo. His company was founded just last year. Rojas plans to take advantage of the good momentum of Peru's Chancay Port, which was built by China, to introduce healthy food from South America to the Chinese market.
"I think all this logistic, I call logistic roadway, it's really, really very active now. It's going to help a lot about the trading and e-commerce actually. And what we can offer is everything about, let's say, food and health product that is actually unique in Peru and Latin America," said Rojas, general manager of Brandon, a brand service company.
According to the press conference on CIIE preparatory work held on Friday, more than 50 countries and international organizations have confirmed their participation in the national comprehensive exhibition, more than 330,000 square meters of corporate business exhibition area has been confirmed, and 170 companies and 27 institutions will become eighth-time exhibitors.
"In China, Lesaffre has always seen itself as a local company. And the fact that China is able to host such a large-scale national-level expo with import as its theme shows just how big and full of potential the Chinese market is for a company. So it's a very positive sign for all the foreign enterprises. That's why we have been active since the beginning, as you mentioned, the eighth time in the CIIE," said Jerome Vanachter, president of Lesaffre Greater China.
Int'l exhibitors actively seeking business opportunities as 8th CIIE approaches
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
