6th CICPE to highlight premium goods, debut launches

The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), scheduled to take place in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province from April 13 to 18, will focus on premium products and debut launches, said an official on Monday.

Speaking at a press conference in Beijing, Vice Minister of Commerce Sheng Qiuping said that new types of consumption will be the centerpiece of this year's consumer products expo where provinces, autonomous regions and direct-administered municipalities and cities across the country will showcase their own special products.

"We will focus on 'premium products' to enrich the supply of quality consumption. This year's CICPE will focus on new types of consumption such as green, health, digital, and smart products, featuring cutting-edge technological offerings including intelligent connected vehicles, smart home appliances, and AI glasses. A pavilion dedicated to 'Guochao' (Chinese fashion trends) going global will be added to bring together exhibits such as porcelain, silk, traditional Chinese medicine, cultural and museum-inspired creative products, showcasing the appeal of trendy domestic brands. Time-honored Chinese brands will display their treasured signature products that embody the legacy of craftsmanship. In addition, 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and direct-administered municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, as well as cities including Shenzhen, Ningbo, Guangzhou, and Changchun, will participate with their local premium consumer goods and 'IP + consumption' creative products," said Sheng.

This year's event will serve as a platform for countries to debut their products, Sheng said, adding that products using cutting-edge technologies will also be unveiled.

"We will highlight 'first launches' to lead consumption trends. This year's Expo will strive to build a global platform for debuting premium consumer goods. It will host a series of global debuts, Asia-Pacific premieres, and China launches, bringing more high-quality products, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative achievements to the stage, and positioning the Expo as a 'starting point' and 'must-visit destination' for global trendy lifestyles," said Sheng.

"For example, new split-type flying cars, intelligent robots, and smart cultural and sports bus stations will be showcased. This year's CICPE will also continue to focus on innovations in the healthcare sector, introducing high-end medical and health product nicknamed 'CICPE Baby' that developed under the advantages of the free trade port policies. The guest province, Shanghai, will unveil a series of international debut products, trendy Chinese-style beauty products, original design items, and Shanghai custom-made premium goods," said Sheng.

Jointly hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Hainan Provincial People's Government, the expo marks the first edition of the event since the Hainan Free Trade Port fully launched island-wide special customs operations in late last year. Canada will be the guest country of honor at this year's expo.

The main venue for this year's event will continue to be the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center. The expo will feature two dedicated sub-venues: an international yacht exhibition area in Sanya, and an international health consumption exhibition area in the Bo'ao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone.

A full schedule of events has been organized, featuring new product launches, supply-demand matchmaking sessions, and over 10 themed activities designed to stimulate consumption. Additionally, special events will focus on showcasing consumption opportunities within the Hainan Free Trade Port.

6th CICPE to highlight premium goods, debut launches

Demonstrations swept across U.S. cities on Saturday in the third wave of "No Kings" rallies, with tens of thousands voicing anger over foreign wars and immigration enforcement.

In Los Angeles, protesters filled downtown streets, denouncing the administration's policies and demanding accountability after joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities.

Organizers said more than 3,100 rallies erupted across major cities including Washington, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with U.S. reports estimating 900,000 participants, the biggest single-day protest ever recorded.

Alyssa, a protester in Los Angeles, said she joined the march to highlight what she called a widespread rejection of government actions, describing the rallies as a channel for public dissent.

"I came here today because what's going on is really wrong and really evil. And this is one of the great ways to let people know that this is unacceptable and that a huge portion of the population is against everything that this regime is doing," she said.

Many demonstrators tied the protests directly to the strikes in Iran, saying the conflict had been imposed on the public as a distraction from domestic troubles.

"This is a war that nobody wanted, an illegal war, one that we were forced into by a wannabe fascist dictator in order to distract from the issues going on at home," Alyssa said.

Others pointed to confusion over U.S. objectives in the Middle East, saying the government lacked a clear strategy.

"It's hard to know what my country even thinks it's doing right now in the Middle East. I'm distraught and I mainly distraught for the Iranian people," said David, another protester.

Some compared the intervention to historic blunders, warning it risked becoming another Vietnam‑style quagmire of a costly conflict with no clear objectives and little public support.

"I'm absolutely disgusted with our government for getting involved in a war that we have no business being in. It's like another Vietnam with even less of a reason," said another protester Lucy.

Lucy believes that U.S. foreign policy has broken down entirely, leaving no coherent framework to guide decisions.

"No, not even a tiny bit. There is no foreign policy right now," Lucy said.

David added that current foreign policy appeared to be rooted in outdated corporate-style governance, rather than democratic decision-making.

"So currently, the US government foreign policy, it seems like it's really scattershot. And it seems to be based on a kind of outdated model of corporate governance. And that's not how governments, and that's not how people actually get things done. So no, the foreign policy right now seems to be about murky backroom deals. And that's not what democracy is," said David.

Others cited civilian casualties and loopholes used to justify military actions.

"As far as what the US does for policies, what loopholes they used to justify bombing a school for instance, there is no justification for that. So I don't understand the US policy when it comes to foreign wars. I don't understand it at all," said Jeremy, a protester.

Nate, another demonstrator, accused the government of hypocrisy and corruption.

"The USA government is nothing but a bunch of hypocrites. All there are about is money, power and protecting child predators," said Nate, another protester.

The protests underscored mounting public opposition to the administration's foreign policy, following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities on Feb. 28 that killed Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior commanders and civilians.

Mass "No Kings" protests sweep US cities as Middle East tension drags on