Nearly 800 global companies from 70 countries and regions have already signed up for the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) due in November, with the contracted exhibition area approaching 280,000 square meters, according to the CIIE Bureau.
This year's CIIE will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) from November 5 to 10, with Saturday marking the 200-day countdown to the opening. Preparations for the expo are now progressing steadily.
According to the CIIE Bureau, the expo is ramping up its efforts to attract more exhibitors specializing in six future industries outlined in China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), namely quantum technology, biomanufacturing, hydrogen and nuclear fusion power, brain-computer interfaces, embodied artificial intelligence, and 6G mobile communications.
As for the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, which will be held alongside the CIIE, the design of its themes and topics is also underway, with working meetings already held and consultations conducted at the United Nations.
Nearly 800 global companies sign up for 9th CIIE in Shanghai
Nearly 800 global companies sign up for 9th CIIE in Shanghai
Nearly 800 global companies sign up for 9th CIIE in Shanghai
India, home to one of the world's youngest populations, is witnessing a growing number of students heading to China in search of quality education and stronger career prospects.
Fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics and engineering are seeing a notable rise in enrollments.
Naresh Patra, a researcher in astrophysics at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, chose to study in China for what he describes as the excellent value for the potential boost to his career.
"First thing, the education system is very good and expenses are too low. And second point [is that] you will get good exposure about machine learning and AI, and third point you will get jobs immediately after passing from these universities," said Naresh Patra, a student from India.
There has been a noticeable surge in inquiries from Indian students for courses in engineering and artificial intelligence. To attract more international applicants, Chinese universities have ramped up investment in world-class infrastructure, including advanced laboratories, while expanding scholarship offerings across a wide range of disciplines.
Akshay Bhambri is among those who secured such a scholarship, supporting his research in traditional medicine. He describes his academic experience in China as highly professional and well-structured.
"In different departments, there are enough resources to do that, and even in libraries, whatever you need is provided immediately to you. So this kind of environment for a researcher, for a student, be it undergrad or PhD student, is very helpful when they want to do some kind of research or some kind of understanding to get what they want immediately, so that they can excel in their work," said the researcher.
Cross-border studies are also foundational to forming academic partnerships between China and India, but experts say that even greater outreach and engagement are needed.
"It will be more possible if there is a higher level, not just the people-to-people level, but (if) we see the authorities from both sides interact, and university-to-university interactions, in that case, there would be a lot of confidence building," said Nishith Shah, principal of India China Academy.
More Indian students choose Chinese universities for quality education
