Exhibition to debut record of innovations as vast Chinese market beckons

From discarded tires to rice husks, materials once considered waste are finding new uses in the automotive industry, as French tire and mobility company Michelin Group prepares to showcase a tire made with 75 percent renewable and recycled materials at the ninth China International Import Expo in Shanghai later this week.

Set to make its Asian debut at the expo, the tire incorporates recovered carbon black, bio-based synthetic rubber, silica derived from rice husks and recycled steel, reflecting the growing use of alternative materials in automotive manufacturing.

Ye Fei, president and CEO of Michelin China and Mongolia, said the CIIE offers an important platform for the company to introduce global innovations, respond to evolving demand in China and deepen cooperation with local industrial partners.

READ MORE: Multinationals gear up for ninth edition of CIIE

The French company will also introduce its Touch Intelligence technology in Asia for the first time, reflecting the company's efforts to expand the use of digital technologies in tire monitoring and maintenance.

Having participated in every edition of the CIIE, United States-based industrial group 3M will showcase its latest technologies and products in automotive, electronics and safety, as well as manufacturing materials and automation, with several products set to make their global or China debuts.

"We have always viewed the CIIE as a key trade fair for showcasing cutting-edge innovations and expanding local partnerships," said Henry Ding, president of 3M China, adding that the company will further strengthen its supply chain network in China.

At this year's expo, 3M and Chinese sportswear company Anta Sports Products Ltd will sign a memorandum of understanding to establish a joint innovation laboratory focused on applications of sustainable materials in outdoor sports.

For multinational companies returning to the CIIE year after year, the attraction goes well beyond securing exhibition space. The event offers a chance to turn new technologies into marketable products, forge partnerships with Chinese businesses and build a stronger foothold in the world's second-largest economy.

The continued enthusiasm of foreign businesses is reflected in the scale of this year's CIIE, scheduled to take place in Shanghai from Nov 5 to 10 despite persistent uncertainties in global trade.

With its total exhibition area set to exceed 440,000 square meters for the first time, this year's expo will host 4,142 overseas exhibitors and draw participants from 162 countries, regions and international organizations, according to information released by the Ministry of Commerce.

The number of participating Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders will exceed 300 for the first time, with more than 2,000 companies set to make their CIIE debuts, according to the ministry.

US exhibitors, including Tesla, Boston Scientific, Rockwell Automation and Nike, will collectively occupy more than 50,000 square meters of exhibition space at the ninth CIIE, up 1,500 square meters from last year. The US will retain the largest exhibition area among participating countries for the eighth consecutive year.

Yan Dong, vice-minister of commerce, said the CIIE is becoming an increasingly important platform for innovation, with more than 480 exhibits set to make their global, Asian or China debuts this year, a record high.

"China will respond proactively to trading partners' needs and continue to improve measures to facilitate imports," said Yan. "We will work to enable the world to share in the opportunities of China's vast market."

Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said earlier this year that China's market holds huge potential, adding that the country will increase imports of agricultural products, quality consumer products, advanced technology equipment and key components. China will also make full use of platforms such as the CIIE to expand import channels.

"Exports and imports are like two wheels of a vehicle. The more balanced they are, the smoother and farther it goes," Wang said.

China's imports rose 22.3 percent year-on-year to 16.74 trillion yuan ($2.51 trillion) in the first nine months of 2026, the fastest growth since 2021, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

Foreign-invested businesses also saw their imports and exports rise 19 percent year-on-year to 11.69 trillion yuan between January and September, with imports up 21.1 percent. They accounted for 34.5 percent of China's total consumer goods imports during the period.

Wang Wen, dean of Renmin University of China's Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, said the CIIE has strengthened China's economic links with international markets by diversifying import sources and facilitating the entry of more foreign products and services into the Chinese market.

As the world's first national-level import expo, the CIIE has drawn participants from more than 180 countries and regions over its first eight editions, with overseas exhibitors recording around 27,000 appearances and generating a combined value of more than $580 billion in intended deals, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Leo Liu, general manager for China at Grin, a New Zealand-based oral care company and eight-time CIIE participant, said the expo has provided smaller foreign businesses with a pathway to long-term growth in China, extending beyond securing orders to expanding local investment.

The company's age-specific toothbrushes, unveiled at the CIIE in 2025, have since entered the Chinese market through e-commerce platforms and offline retail channels. Connections established with Chinese companies such as JD.com, Xiaohongshu (Red-Note) and Bank of China at previous editions have also led to commercial partnerships over the past year.

"China has become Grin's most important market globally," Liu said, noting the company is expanding its Shanghai office, recruiting local management talent and bringing more functions related to branding, research and development, and supply chain management to the city.

"For us, market certainty is vital. Grin will deepen localization, expand into lower-tier markets and develop more tailored products to meet evolving consumer demand in China," he added.

Takao Yagi, chairman and CEO of Toshiba (China) Co, said the company will continue to expand its presence in China through technological innovation.

"Through our participation in previous editions of the CIIE, we have witnessed firsthand the dynamism of China's market as it continues to open up and develop. This has further strengthened our confidence in Toshiba's long-term commitment to China and in growing together with the country," he said.

With AI as the central theme of its exhibition, the Japanese industrial group will showcase 13 innovative solutions in energy, digital infrastructure, semiconductors and storage at this year's CIIE, reflecting the growing application of advanced technologies across industries.

"Looking ahead to the opportunities presented by China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), we look forward to responding to the market's evolving needs through innovation and bringing fresh momentum to industrial upgrading and high-quality development," Yagi added.

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Yin Zhengping, a foreign trade researcher at the Beijing-based Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said China's steady economic growth, stable manufacturing activity and increased investment in high-tech industries have supported imports of raw materials and intermediate goods this year.

Such demand, coupled with industrial cooperation fostered by the CIIE, will help deepen ties between Chinese businesses and their international partners and strengthen the resilience of global industrial and supply chains, she added.

Crystal Huang, president for China at Dow Inc, a US materials science company set to participate in the CIIE for the ninth consecutive year, said the expo has become an important platform for attracting foreign investment by helping multinational corporations better understand China's industrial capabilities, identify potential business partners and assess long-term investment prospects.

On the investment front, China's actual use of foreign capital rose 2.5 percent year-on-year in September, data from the Ministry of Commerce showed.

Contact the writers at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn