China's overall outbound direct investment (ODI) grew 2.8 percent year on year in the first seven months of this year, official data showed, reflecting steady momentum in the country's global economic engagement.
According to statistics released jointly by the Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the country's total ODI reached 684.51 billion yuan (99.53 billion U.S. dollars) from January to July.
During the same period, Chinese domestic investors made non-financial direct investments in 7,742 overseas enterprises across 148 countries and regions.
The cumulative investment in this category totaled 528.43 billion yuan, or 76.84 billion dollars.
China's outbound direct investment up 2.8 pct in Jan-July period
A growing number of exhibitors are launching their newest products at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) first and then taking them to market from here.
The ninth edition of CIIE is under way in Shanghai, with more than 480 representative exhibits making their global, Asian or Chinese debuts this year, a record high.
A laser confocal fluorescence imaging device can present cell-level microscopic structures in real time during a doctor's surgery. An innovative flexible-material intraocular lens for myopia offers precisely tailored lens dimensions and is about to be localized for production.
The CIIE stage helps innovative R and D achievements debut and accelerate their path to market.
"Optics is our fundamental research, or rather our fundamental technology. We are now applying optical technology more to different fields such as industry and medicine. We can bring in more cooperation to help us develop products that are better suited to China," said Xie Lei, Chief Operating Officer, Carl Zeiss Greater China.
In the field of mobility, tires can collect tactile data from the tread and the road surface, bringing users a safer and more reliable driving experience; a renewable tire making its Asian debut contains 75 percent recycled materials, driving the green transformation of the industrial chain. From "bringing products into China" to "keeping R and D in China," what the CIIE has witnessed is increasingly deep localized cooperation.
"Smart sensing technology can actually be adapted to vehicles of different tire brands. This is also the kind of exhibit we hope to share with the market at this CIIE. Another point is that this is not only an Asian debut - we have already carried out scenario validation in China with the first batch of OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) and intelligent-driving partners, and we should very soon see China's first-use cases next year," said Song Fen, Vice President of Michelin China.
"At this CIIE, on the one hand, we are showcasing SK hynix's AI-oriented memory solutions. On the other hand, we are also showcasing the group's technological reserves and future development vision in the AI data center field, which represents the group's future direction. We hope to work with partners to contribute to China's further development and jointly open up new business opportunities," said Chung Eun Tae, Co-CEO of SK China.
Launched in 2018, the CIIE is the world's first national-level expo dedicated to import, and has become an important gateway for foreign businesses seeking access to China's vast consumer and industrial markets. This year, the exhibition is held from Nov. 5 to 10.
More exhibitors debut high-end products at CIIE
