Shanghai showcases investment opportunities ahead of CIIE

The 2026 Shanghai Investment Promotion Conference in Support of the China International Import Expo took place on Thursday to promote the annual CIIE and investment opportunities in the city. The event was hosted by the Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board and the Hongkou District Commission of Commerce.

More than 170 representatives from the Shanghai Commission of Commerce, the CIIE Bureau, the Hongkou district government, overseas investment promotion agencies, chambers of commerce and multinational corporations attended the event.

Zhang Jie, vice-chairman of the Shanghai Commission of Commerce, said the city has made remarkable progress in developing its "five centers" — an international economic center, financial center, trade center, shipping center and science and technology innovation center — to promote high-quality economic development. During the 2026 CIIE, a series of events, including Shanghai Night, the Shanghai City Investment Promotion Conference and three business matchmaking events targeting the Americas and Oceania, Europe and Asia, will be held to showcase Shanghai's unique advantages. Districts across the city will also organize various activities to promote trade, economic development and investment opportunities.

"We warmly welcome multinational enterprises, domestic and overseas investment promotion agencies, chambers of commerce and industry associations to engage deeply in the series of economic and trade events, leverage the platform of the CIIE, seize the vast market opportunities brought by Shanghai's institutional opening-up, and share in the dividends of the city's high-quality development," Zhang said.

Wu Qunfeng, an official with the Hongkou district government, said the annual CIIE serves as a major platform for sharing China's development opportunities, a bridge connecting China with the world and a magnet for global innovation resources. Hongkou district will seek to amplify the CIIE's spillover effects and translate the interest generated by the expo into new investment partnerships and momentum for industrial development.

"Leveraging the development of the North Bund, Hongkou will accelerate the clustering of high-quality global resources, strive to build the area into an important gateway for two-way investment between China and the world, continue to improve the business environment, and enhance the full-lifecycle service system for enterprises, empowering businesses in both going global and entering the Chinese market," Wu said. "We will share the opportunities presented by the CIIE with all parties, jointly expand development space and create a better future together."

Ge Hong, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, said the expo attracted more than 27,000 exhibitors from over 180 countries and regions during its first eight editions from 2018 to 2025, becoming an important gateway for foreign enterprises seeking to establish a foothold in the Chinese market. Preparations for the ninth CIIE — comprising a business exhibition, a country exhibition, the Hongqiao Forum and a range of supporting events and cultural activities — are progressing smoothly. This year's country exhibition will welcome several new participants, with Canada serving as a guest country of honor. The business exhibition will continue to focus on innovation and green development.

Robert Mitrofan, chief representative of Business Romania in China, and Eddie Yan, managing partner of government and public services for Deloitte China's East Region, shared their experiences at previous CIIE editions and outlined their latest exhibition plans.

The Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board also launched the 2026 Shanghai Tour Routes and Promotion Events in support of the CIIE, aiming to help international visitors gain a better understanding of the city's industries, business resources and high-quality investment projects.

The initiative features 54 tour routes across eight major categories, including biomedicine, artificial intelligence, high-end equipment and fashion consumer goods. Participants will have opportunities to explore developments in AI in Xuhui district, new materials in Baoshan district and Shanghai's history in Songjiang district.