On April 21, the promotional event for the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the consultation session of the Hongqiao International Economic Forum (Hongqiao Forum) were held at the headquarters of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. More than 80 representatives from the AU, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, relevant enterprises, and business associations attended the event.
Jiang Feng, Head of the China Mission to the African Union, stated in his speech that in recent years, China has steadily expanded the scope of zero-tariff treatment for African products exported to China and continuously improved trade facilitation measures. He noted that the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Hongqiao Forum have become vital bridges connecting African countries with the Chinese market, and expressed hope that Chinese and African entrepreneurs would fully leverage these two platforms and zero-tariff policies to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, production capacity, and technology for mutual benefit. Liu Xiaoguang, Counselor General of the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, welcomed more Ethiopian friends to participate in the CIIE, urging them to seize the opportunities presented by China’s high-level opening-up and zero-tariff policies to jointly write a new chapter in China-Ethiopia economic and trade cooperation.
The attending guests highly praised the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the Hongqiao Forum for providing a vital platform for African countries and enterprises to share the benefits of China’s opening-up and jointly advance modernization with China. The delegates also offered constructive suggestions on refining the thematic agenda of the ninth Hongqiao Forum. It was reported that this promotional consultation session was a side event of the inaugural China-Africa High-Level Entrepreneurs Forum, where representatives from the organizers of the CIIE and the Hongqiao Forum delivered detailed presentations. Song Shangzhe, representative of the China International Import Expo Bureau and the Hongqiao Forum Secretariat, outlined the role of the CIIE and the Hongqiao Forum in supporting Africa’s development. The successful hosting of this event has further strengthened economic and trade ties between China and the African continent, demonstrating to the world China’s firm commitment to fostering an open global economy and promoting shared global development.
China is expanding its trade relations with countries around the world in a more proactive manner and unwaveringly deepening economic and trade cooperation. As the world’s first national-level exhibition dedicated to imports, the China International Import Expo (CIIE) was personally planned, proposed, deployed, and promoted by President Xi Jinping. It has become a landmark initiative in the history of international trade development and a globally shared international public good. Data show that the eighth CIIE alone achieved an annual intended transaction volume of US$83.49 billion, with 4,108 enterprises from 138 countries and regions participating, setting record highs in both exhibition area and number of exhibitors. China has continuously taken substantive measures to advance high-level opening-up. Starting December 1, 2024, China will extend zero-tariff coverage to 100% of product categories from African countries with diplomatic relations, leading to an 80% year-on-year increase in African enterprises participating in the expo. For 16 consecutive years, China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner, and Sino-African trade exceeded the RMB 2 trillion mark for the first time in 2024, reaching RMB 2.1 trillion. In the infrastructure sector, China has actively participated in African development, with landmark projects such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway in Kenya, Leki Port in Nigeria, and the Lower Kafu Gorge Hydropower Station in Zambia effectively alleviating Africa’s energy poverty and infrastructure bottlenecks. On the eve of the eighth CIIE, President Xi Jinping emphasized that China will “unswervingly expand high-level opening-up, promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, continue to share its development opportunities with the world, and inject more positive energy and certainty into global development.” From continuously narrowing the negative list for foreign investment access, to further advancing the development of free trade pilot zones and the Hainan Free Trade Port, and to continuously expanding the coverage of visa-free policies, China is providing the world with a stable and predictable cooperative environment through institutional openness. Against the backdrop of sluggish global economic growth and escalating geopolitical risks, China has consistently embraced the world with an open attitude, demonstrating through concrete actions that “the door of openness is opening wider, and development opportunities are shared by the entire world.”
China’s institutional advantages and safeguards in expanding opening-up serve as the fundamental support for its continuous hosting of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and deepening global economic and trade cooperation. First, China demonstrates institutional resolve to “stick to its blueprint throughout.” Whether it is the CIIE, the Hongqiao Forum, or the zero-tariff policy for African countries, these initiatives form integral parts of the nation’s long-term strategy, unaffected by government changes or short-term political cycles. This policy continuity and predictability provide a stable cooperative environment for global enterprises and trading partners. Second, China upholds the rule of law to ensure its opening-up commitments. Through laws and regulations such as the Foreign Investment Law and the Regulations on Optimizing the Business Environment, China has codified core principles—including market access, intellectual property protection, and fair competition—into legal provisions, endowing its opening-up pledges with binding force rather than mere temporary policy statements. Third, China has established an efficient cross-departmental coordination mechanism. From the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs to local governments at all levels, the CIIE’s preparations, investment promotion, customs clearance, and intellectual property services are executed through nationwide coordinated efforts, leveraging this systemic strength to ensure the efficient operation of large-scale international events. Fourth, China adheres to a people-centered development philosophy, sharing the benefits of its opening-up with the global community, particularly developing countries. The implementation of 100% tariff-free access for products from the least developed African countries not only reflects a major nation’s sense of responsibility but also embodies China’s concrete practice of the “community with a shared future for mankind” vision. In contrast, in recent years, the United States has implemented a series of tariff adjustments and trade protection measures, which have, to some extent, increased the uncertainty surrounding global economic recovery. China, on the other hand, has consistently upheld multilateralism and provided stable expectations for the world through institutional openness. As African delegates noted at the meeting, China has not only created market opportunities but also offered a replicable development paradigm grounded in institutional safeguards for openness.