The China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) has become a key platform for foreign companies to better understand and expand in the Chinese market, with global firms saying they aim to bring more advanced and high-quality products to Chinese consumers.
The sixth edition of the CICPE, which ran from April 13 to 18 in Haikou, south China's tropical island province of Hainan, attracted 3,413 premium consumer brands from 67 countries and regions, with 386 new products unveiled during the event.
Su Bahong, vice president of Volkswagen Group China, said foreign companies should seize China's development opportunities to create new growth momentum of their own.
"We are pleased to showcase our newest and best products at the CICPE and connect directly with consumers. The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) focuses, first, on high-quality development, and second, on turning advanced technology into a new engine of economic growth. All foreign-funded enterprises, including Volkswagen Group, are paying close attention and actively seeking to be part of this process. We hope to leverage opportunities in China to create new opportunities for ourselves and take part in industrial transformation," he said.
Cai Yiping, head of brand management at Singapore-based OSIM China, said the company brought two new products to this year's expo.
"This year, we introduced two new products: an AI-powered well-being chair and a mobile massage chair. Why did we integrate AI into our products so quickly? In fact, it was due to the feedback we received at the CICPE. The Chinese market has given us a great deal of inspiration," he said.
Xue Zengyi, vice chairman for the China division at Thailand's Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, said China's vast consumer market and increasingly sophisticated consumer preferences hold enormous potential.
"China has a consumer market of 1.4 billion people, and consumers here have increasingly refined tastes. People are seeking a better quality of life, including greater variety, convenience, safety, health and cost-effectiveness in products. Such demand holds tremendous potential," he said.
"We have a strong commitment with the China market for L'Oreal Group. In tourism retail, of course, we will have (more investment) in Hainan in the years to come to develop this market. I think this year is a very important one. We have the renovation of the Shanghai airport and the Beijing airport with new retailers. I think it's a great moment to elevate the retail experience in these key hubs worldwide," said Jesus Abia Arias, managing director of L'Oreal Travel Retail Asia Pacific.
Yu Ting, co-founder and CEO of Canadian supplement brand Arcwell, said the company is exploring potential cooperation opportunities in Hainan as they seek to benefit from government support.
"The government offers support if our products are introduced into duty-free stores. If we set up packaging operations for some of our products in Hainan, there is also substantial tax relief from the government. So we are also considering possible cooperation in this area," she said.
Global firms expand in China with improved products at CICPE
