Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other potential obstacles, the fifth China International Import Expo will be held this November in Shanghai as scheduled, said Sun Chenghai, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, on April 18, which marks the 200-day countdown to the expo.

During a special online event held on the day, the bureau released the second exhibitor list, which has 121 companies and three national or regional pavilions.

The tentative procurement plans of several purchasers, including the National Health Commission and trade missions from Beijing, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Gansu, were also published for the first time. The purchasers expect to browse 194 types of products from the six exhibition areas of the expo.

According to Sun, more than 70 percent of the planned business exhibition area has been booked and increased efforts are being made to attract purchasers. The country exhibition, part of the CIIE, will continue to take place online, while this year's Hongqiao International Economic Forum will focus attention on global opening-up.

Zhou Lan, an official from the leading group in charge of city services for the expo, said Shanghai will make all necessary preparations to make sure the fifth CIIE will be a success.

Pfizer has debuted many innovations at the previous CIIEs and will expand its presence at the fifth edition, said Jean-Christophe Pointeau, president of Pfizer Biopharmaceutical Group China, at the meeting. Pointeau added that the company is looking forward to finding multiple resources that would promote medical innovation at this year's expo.

The online event marking the 200-day countdown to the fifth CIIE has bolstered exhibitors' confidence, noted Pointeau. He hopes that more enterprises could participate in the expo and seize opportunities in the Chinese market to spur the steady growth of China's economy and to contribute to global economic recovery.

The Bank of China, one of the CIIE partners, said it will upgrade financial solutions for the expo and further improve services.