STORY: CIIE unlocks China's growth opportunities for world
SHOOTING DATE: recent footage
DATELINE: Nov. 4, 2024
LENGTH: 00:06:01
LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of previous shots of CIIE
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
6. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): ANNA VAN ACKER, Senior Vice President of MSD and President of MSD in China
7. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): ANNA VAN ACKER, Senior Vice President of MSD and President of MSD in China
8. SOUNDBITE 7 (English): TANG XIAODONG, President of Karcher Greater China
9. SOUNDBITE 8 (English): TANG XIAODONG, President of Karcher Greater China
10. SOUNDBITE 9 (English): TANG XIAODONG, President of Karcher Greater China

STORYLINE:

Afghan businessman Ali Faiz first participated in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in 2020.

For him, it was a thrilling experience.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
"Luckily, almost like 80 percent of demos were sold on the exhibition. It was the first time for me to come to Shanghai, to the giant platform like CIIE. It was very exciting."

The success story didn't just end there. Ali's business started to take off after the world's first national-level import-themed expo opened up the huge Chinese market for him.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
"We had a lot of people that after CIIE also connected with us and they were interested in our products and were also asking for other products which were not in China. They were asking us. So we import (those products) for them. So that gave us the encouragement."

Just in the following year, Ali adjusted his business plan and moved to Shanghai.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
"After CIIE our plan totally changed. We understood that here is a lot of potential and opportunities. We opened our Afghanistan pavilion just next to the exhibition center, also we went to online platforms. And it is very unique way to promote your products."

Now, Ali runs a trading company Biraro in Shanghai, focusing on exporting Afghan specialty products to the Chinese market.

His business success in China has also brought hope to many struggling Afghan families in the war-torn country.

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ALI FAIZ, Afghan businessman
"The carpets are all handmade and they're woven by hand. One big carpet is gonna be from 3 to 5 people weaving. So as long as they weave this carpet, they have income. For importing products to China, one of the very efficient ways is by CIIE platform. That was like a very big success for us."

The CIIE promotes the entry of local specialty products from these least developed countries into the Chinese market by providing free booths, subsidies and preferential tax policies.

The expo is also a chance for companies from developed countries to jointly develop with their counterparts in the Chinese market.

This year, Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), a leading American multinational pharmaceutical company, is attending the CIIE for the 6th consecutive year.

SOUNDBITE 5 (English): ANNA VAN ACKER, Senior Vice President of MSD and President of MSD in China
"The 6th consecutive participation in CIIE is really for us very important. China, as a market, is critical to our global strategy.

MSD has maintained a presence in China for over three decades.

At this year's CIIE, it aims to celebrate this milestone while fostering knowledge-sharing and collaboration within China's health sector.

MSD will also introduce about 30 new drugs for the CIIE this year, underscoring its commitment to the ever-growing Chinese market.

SOUNDBITE 6 (English): ANNA VAN ACKER, Senior Vice President of MSD and President of MSD in China
"CIIE for us is a very, very important platform. So the platform of CIIE really demonstrates China's commitment to opening up and that's where we want to really engage."

Over the years, the CIIE has created lasting spillover effects.

For some exhibitors, this means accelerating their investment pace in China.

Germany's cleaning company Karcher, which has attended all seven editions of the CIIE, has seen a boost in sales in China thanks to the expo.

SOUNDBITE 7 (English): TANG XIAODONG, President of Karcher Greater China
"During the CIIE we have been also getting quite positive feedback, especially when we launched a new product every year. In the second CIIE, we have been launched the first AI robotic cleaner. After we launched (the product), we immediately got a new order from our biggest railway station in (Shanghai) Hongqiao. Because they were also using the robotic cleaners for the Spring Festival (travel rush). So this is actually showing CIIE had been well recognized and accepted by our customers."

The positive feedback Karche gained from the CIIE has cemented its determination to advance localization strategies, leading to the continuous launch of investment projects in China over the past years.

In 2019, Karcher pooled 380 mln yuan (about 53.3 mln USD) into building
its Karcher China headquarters in Changshu, Jiangsu Province
and established the Asia Pacific Logistics Center in China

In 2020, Karcher inked a deal to cooperate with
Gaoda Technology and Suxitong Science & Technology Industrial Park
to build an unmanned car washing R&D and production base

In 2022, it invested another 100 mln yuan (about 14 mln USD) to set up
a global high-tech R&D center in Suzhou Industrial Park

SOUNDBITE 8 (English): TANG XIAODONG, President of Karcher Greater China
"Especially (in) the last five years, Karcher China has been investing two billion RMB (about 280.8 mln USD) in China. This covers the manufacturing R&D and sales. A lot of products we initiated from China actually have the same synergy and needs outside China. So we are building no longer local-for-local but also local-for-global. "

For Karcher, the transition from exhibitor to investor is a rational decision.

SOUNDBITE 9 (English): TANG XIAODONG, President of Karcher Greater China
"CIIE is one of the best platforms. With the CIIE, Karcher actually being the exhibitor, then later become an investor. This actually has been showing CIIE has facilitated all these decisions when the companies are growing. I think this is a very rational and also automatic transformation."

During the previous six editions of the CIIE, nearly 2,500 new products, technologies and services made their debuts, with combined intended turnover reaching over 420 billion U.S. dollars.

This year's 7th CIIE has attracted participants from 152 countries, regions and international organizations, and achieved a new record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders set to attend.

It serves not only as a platform for high-level opening up but also as a public good for the whole world.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shanghai, China.
(XHTV)