HAIKOU, July 25. /TASS/. China's total volume of imported consumer goods reached 1.7 trillion yuan (about $251.85 billion) at the end of last year. Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Wang Shouwen said this on Monday in Haikou (administrative center of Hainan province) at the opening ceremony of the 2nd China International Consumer Products Expo.
"The volume of China's imports of consumer goods (last year - note TASS) reached 1.7 trillion yuan. In the first half of this year, imported consumer goods exceeded 1 trillion yuan (about $ 148.15 billion - by TASS comment)," said the deputy head.
He noted that about 80% of 100 thousand square meters of exhibition area is occupied by foreign companies. The exhibition is attended by over a thousand foreign companies, which will present more than 1.6 thousand brands. "The new exhibition will allow them to quickly enter the Chinese market and share its development opportunities with China," Wang Shouwen said.
The 2nd China International Consumer Products Expo will be held from July 25 to 30 and will feature over 2,800 brands from more than 60 countries and regions around the world. The total exhibition area this year will amount to 100,000 square meters, 80 thousand of which will be occupied by foreign participants. The remaining 20 thousand square meters will house Chinese companies from all regions of the country. As expected, the exhibition will be visited by more than 40 thousand businessmen. On its fields, more than 600 kinds of goods will be premiered. It is expected that the exhibition will be visited by over 40 thousand representatives of business. France will be the guest of honor at this year's event.
The opening ceremony marked the start of the Expo's business program. The exhibition itself starts on Tuesday: from July 26 to 28 the exhibition will be open only for the business community and mass media, and on July 29-30 it will open its doors for the general public.