Foreign companies deepen localization in China through CIIE

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Foreign companies are increasingly using the China International Import Expo (CIIE) not just to showcase products, but to find partners and deepen their localized operations in China.   The CIIE is the world's first national-level exhibition dedicated to imports, and its ninth edition will take place in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10.

AstraZeneca, a European pharmaceutical company, is a regular attendee at the CIIE. It has used the platform to debut 20 innovative drugs. Some of these products were approved quickly after the expo, while several major projects have landed in Wuxi, Taizhou, and Qingdao, helping the company build a full value chain covering research and development, manufacturing, and commercialization.

"We invested 475 million U.S. dollars in a new factory in Wuxi, 27 million U.S. dollars in a new production line in Taizhou, and an additional investment of about 136 million U.S. dollars in Qingdao. Our long-term commitment to China is very clear, and we will continue to increase investment. By 2030, our total investment in China will exceed 100 billion yuan (about 15 billion U.S. dollars). A series of projects are currently being implemented," said Lin Xiao, general manager of AstraZeneca China.

ABB, a global technology leader in electrification and automation, is also a regular CIIE attendee. It has invested over 1.3 billion U.S. dollars in China over the past decade, covering power, petrochemical, metallurgy, mining, and municipal engineering sectors. In the future, the company will focus on energy transition and industrial digitalization to further increase its investment.

"Through the CIIE platform, ABB has showcased over 380 new achievements and signed nearly 120 strategic cooperation agreements. Many of the innovative technologies and solutions displayed at the expo have already been implemented in industrial settings. ABB is fully confident in the long-term development of the Chinese market, and we will increase investment in local innovation, high-end manufacturing, and talent development," said Jiang Haibo, head of ABB's Automation Business Area in China.   According to official data, nearly 200 companies and institutions never miss an edition of the CIIE. More than 300 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders are attending this year's expo, and over 480 representative new products are making their debuts.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows that from January to August 2026, foreign direct investment (FDI) in high-tech industries surged 35.1 percent to 200.26 billion yuan, accounting for 41.7 percent of the national total.   Foreign investment is increasingly flowing into high-value-added sectors such as research and development and high-end manufacturing.  

Foreign companies deepen localization in China through CIIE

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠"China Haul" -- a trend of foreign tourists opening their suitcases on social media to show off the Chinese goods they bought during trips to China -- has recently gone viral overseas.

Some joke that "China Haul" sounds like "China good" in Chinese, a fitting description for leisure trips to the country, since tourists often arrive with empty suitcases and leave with them fully stuffed, proving that made-in-China products are indeed good.

Opening a suitcase to show off purchases made in China is one of the most popular ways German tourists share their trips. Alexander Haase has traveled to Beijing four times over the past year, and buying Chinese tech products has been a must every time. His suitcase reads like a continuously updated list of Chinese tech products.

"In the past 12 months alone, I've been to China four times. What I bought are mostly high-tech products. For example, I bought a Huawei laptop, and AI glasses. In short, all the latest high-tech products," said Haase.

Haase's shopping list directly reflects the popularity of Chinese tech products among German tourists. Having visited China many times over more than two decades, he has witnessed not only the iteration of products but also the overall upgrading of the urban environment and digital infrastructure.

For him, buying tech products in China is no longer a side activity but an indispensable part of the trip. This change is also appearing among more German tourists.

German travel industry insiders have also observed that China's appeal to young people has moved beyond traditional sightseeing of historic sites; experiencing cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and robots up close is becoming a new reason to visit China.

"The development of China's high and new technologies is a very important element attracting young people from abroad. For example, robots spark their greater interest in learning more about China. Thanks to the visa-free policy, young German tour groups can travel to China at any time, just as they please," said Tang Huiying, general manager of a German youth travel agency.

According to German travel industry insiders, German tourists visiting China in 2026 are expected to reach between 500,000 to 600,000. For frequent travelers like Wolfgang Bednarek, who has visited China many times, China's charm is not one-dimensional but a comprehensive appeal formed by the combination of multiple experiences.

"I have traveled all over the world, but I have to say that in my heart, China is the most impressive country. China not only has a unique culture and diverse geographical features, but the people there are also a highlight -- an absolute highlight," said Bednarek.

German tourists embrace Chinese high-tech goods, fueling "China Haul" trend online