Shanghai welcomed thousands of overseas exhibitors and buyers as the eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened on 5 November 2025 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center. Immigration officials deployed additional e-gates, English-speaking lanes and a temporary accreditation desk inside Pudong Airport to process the surge of attendees.
Premier Li Qiang used his keynote address to reaffirm China’s commitment to market opening and invited multinationals to “share the dividends of a super-sized economy.” Delegations from more than 150 countries are showcasing products ranging from low-carbon aviation fuel to health-tech wearables.
![Eighth China International Import Expo opens with upgraded immigration services]()
For the mobility industry, CIIE functions as both a trade fair and a stress test of China’s post-pandemic border reforms. Travel-management companies reported average immigration-hall wait times of 22 minutes on opening day—down from 46 minutes in 2024—thanks in part to the just-launched digital arrival card and the 240-hour transit expansion that funneled some visitors through Hong Kong rail links.
Shanghai’s Municipal Commerce Bureau has also partnered with hotels to offer on-site visa-extension counters for delegates needing to convert transit stays into short-term business visas, a service first piloted during the 2024 World AI Conference.
Premier Li Qiang used his keynote address to reaffirm China’s commitment to market opening and invited multinationals to “share the dividends of a super-sized economy.” Delegations from more than 150 countries are showcasing products ranging from low-carbon aviation fuel to health-tech wearables.
For the mobility industry, CIIE functions as both a trade fair and a stress test of China’s post-pandemic border reforms. Travel-management companies reported average immigration-hall wait times of 22 minutes on opening day—down from 46 minutes in 2024—thanks in part to the just-launched digital arrival card and the 240-hour transit expansion that funneled some visitors through Hong Kong rail links.
Shanghai’s Municipal Commerce Bureau has also partnered with hotels to offer on-site visa-extension counters for delegates needing to convert transit stays into short-term business visas, a service first piloted during the 2024 World AI Conference.
