The 2024 Investment Promotion Conference in Support of the 7th China International Import Expo took place in Shanghai on Tuesday to spotlight investment opportunities and the upcoming CIIE in the city.

Organized by the Shanghai Commission of Commerce and the Jing'an District Government, the event attracted more than 230 attendees, including consular officials from Mexico, the Czech Republic and Argentina, along with delegates from foreign investment promotion agencies such as the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and the Poland Investment and Trade Agency. Officials from investment promotion departments at both city and district levels in Shanghai, business representatives from multinational corporations, and CIIE participants also participated.

In a welcoming address, He Dongbin, deputy director of the Shanghai Commission of Commerce, told delegates the city is striving to support an upgrade of urban services, including streamlining entry and exit services at ports and customs clearance facilities, as well as establishing a team of CIIE liaison officers to support communications with foreign participants.

He said the Shanghai Commission of Commerce has planned a series of initiatives to enhance the impact of the CIIE and bolster investment promotion efforts before the year's end. The initiatives include a range of roundtable discussions involving government officials and business leaders aimed at effectively promoting central government policies, and a host of investment promotion activities to attract foreign investors to Shanghai and assist domestic enterprises in exploring opportunities in overseas markets.

Meanwhile, to encourage multinational companies to carry out significant international business activities in Shanghai, the city will offer three comprehensive benefit packages to host enterprises. The packages include provisions for entry and exit facilitation, financial support and supplementary activities, according to He.

Lin Xiaojue, deputy chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shanghai Jing'an People's Congress, said the CIIE is "an important platform for advancing high-quality growth in trade, investment and consumption and presents opportunities for Jing'an to exhibit its dynamic openness. Jing'an will steadfastly seek opportunities to enhance its openness, solidifying its status as the foremost destination for foreign investment, a hub for top-tier foreign capital and a global center for premium resources."

Meanwhile, Eric Zheng, president of AmCham Shanghai, shared the chamber's insights gained from fostering investment during previous CIIEs, and Xue Feng, director of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Development Board, unveiled the 2024 Guide and Promotion Events of Shanghai in Support of the CIIE.

Representatives from Jing'an district, Jinshan district, Minhang district and Jiading district showcased their key industries to all the guests in attendance at the event, and a panel discussion on boosting consumption capacity featured representatives from companies including Coach, Tapestry and Shanghai Suzhou Creek Group exchanging ideas on related industry.