All preparations complete for 6th China Int'l Consumer Products in Hainan

The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE, or Hainan Expo 2026) is set to open Monday in the southern island province of Hainan, with all preparations complete as of Sunday and a record number of new product launches expected.

This year's expo is the first major exhibition in China during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030) and the first since Hainan Free Trade Port's island-wide independent customs operation, giving it far greater latitude for opening up.

Eight major exhibition halls focusing on new consumption trends, such as green products, health, and digital intelligence, reflect the event's theme for this year, "sharing open opportunities, creating a better life."

For the first time, a dedicated "consumer technology" exhibition area has been established, which brings together over 30 leading global companies in consumer electronics and cutting-edge technology. The "Premium Consumer Goods Hall" will host international exhibits from 22 countries and regions, reaching a record high. Canada, as the guest country of honor, has organized 40 companies to showcase cosmetics, agricultural products, and healthcare goods. Twelve countries and regions, including Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Ireland, have sent official delegations, while Russia and Bulgaria are establishing national pavilions for the first time.

The expo will also host a series of activities centered on three key themes: 'Export to China,' highlighting access to its vast market; 'Buy in China,' showcasing technology-driven consumption; and 'Invest in China,' which especially promotes global investment opportunities within the Hainan Free Trade Port.

"Closely focusing on the policy dividends and industrial development realities after Hainan's independent customs operation, we have sorted out over 100 application scenarios, extracted more than 50 successful cases implemented in Hainan, and planned 300 high-quality investment promotion projects." said Zeng Rong, chief economist and spokeswoman for the Hainan Provincial Bureau of International Economic Development.

The expo's news center will officially open at 14:00 Beijing Time (06:00 GMT) Monday to provide comprehensive service and support for media coverage.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said on Friday that about 14 million people in Sudan have been displaced, a quarter of the population of the country, since the civil war started in April 2023.

Marie-Helene Verney, UNHCR's representative in Sudan, said at a press briefing in Geneva that as the crisis in Sudan moves into its fourth year, fighting still rages in large parts of the country, causing new displacements and extending the daily tragedy for millions of people with no clear end in sight.

Since the war started, some 14 million people have been forced to flee, with 9 million remaining displaced inside Sudan and 4.4 million across borders.