INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The fifth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), a key platform for global trade and consumption trends, will take place in
Haikou, the capital city of south China's Hainan Province, from April 13 to 18.The expo has drawn the participation of over 4,100 brands
from 71 countries and regions
Co-hosted by China's Ministry of Commerce and the Hainan provincial government, the expo will feature expanded international participation
and first-time innovations.Aligning with China's innovation priorities, the expo will highlight sectors such as artificial intelligence,
low-altitude aviation, smart vehicles and digital health
Tech leaders like Huawei, iFLYTEK and Tesla will showcase cutting-edge solutions.The main venue remains the Hainan International Convention
and Exhibition Center this year, with additional duty-free shopping zones in international duty-free complexes in Haikou and Sanya
A yacht exhibition will also be held in Sanya.Domestic exhibitors will present premium and local products, and a section of the expo will be
dedicated to connecting foreign buyers with Chinese manufacturers through tailored investment matchmaking.The United Kingdom will serve as
the guest of honor with 53 brands across sectors like fashion, beauty, home goods, health and jewelry, Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping
said at a press conference held ahead of the expo.France, Switzerland and Ireland will again send high-quality consumer companies and
products to this year's fair
Newcomers to the event will include delegations from Slovakia, Brazil and Singapore
Multinational giants such as United States -based Estée Lauder and Germany's Volkswagen will also be among this year's exhibitors.A
highlight of this year's expo is its expanded global reach, with 65 companies from the global top 500 and industry leaders set to be
present, Sheng noted.The CICPE is China's only national-level exhibition featuring consumer products, and it is the largest consumer expo in
the Asia-Pacific region.This year's expo will be the largest to date, demonstrating the confidence of all parties in China's economic
development, according to Gu Gang, vice governor of Hainan Province.China's retail sales of consumer goods, a major indicator of the
country's consumption strength, climbed 4 percent year on year in the first two months of 2025, according to official data.The growth rate
is 0.5 percentage points higher than that in 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).Total retail sales of consumer goods
reached over 8.37 trillion yuan (about $1.17 trillion) from January to February
Excluding automobiles, the figure was 7.68 trillion yuan, registering year-on-year growth of 4.8 percent."Markets are the scarcest resource
With a population of over 1.4 billion and a per capita GDP of over $13,000, China offers a market with huge potential, broad space and great
development opportunities," NBS spokesperson Fu Linghui said at another press conference on March 17.(With input from agencies)
