A delegation of international journalists highlighted trade and technology opportunities offered at the ninth China International Import Expo in Shanghai after touring the exhibition halls.

Alicia Boucher, a journalist with CCN TV6 in Trinidad and Tobago, said the CIIE's message of expanding imports was particularly relevant for developing countries, where trade plays an important role in economic development.

Visiting both Shanghai and the CIIE for the first time, Boucher said China's large consumer market could create more opportunities for overseas businesses bringing products to the country. She also viewed efforts to promote more balanced trade as beneficial to international business.

She hoped to learn more about Chinese demand for products from Trinidad and Tobago, including Angostura rum and bitters, and explore their potential for further growth. She also wanted to understand which import categories China was seeking, information she considered valuable for businesses in her country.

The national-level fair dedicated to imports runs from Nov 5 to 10 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), gathering 4,142 overseas exhibitors on a record exhibition area of more than 440,000 square meters.

Md Obayedlah Mamun, a senior correspondent with Bangladesh's NTV, saw the expo as an important platform for Bangladeshi businesses to explore new markets and trading opportunities.

Kalin Iliev Datsov, a journalist with Bulgarian National Radio, said that attending the opening ceremony reinforced his impression of Shanghai's importance to the global economy. He regarded the expo and its accompanying forum as significant platforms for international economic exchange.

The journalists also explored technologies and services on display. Their route included AI Shanghai's city information services, Hexagon's industrial robotics, Qualcomm's on-device artificial intelligence, and Shanghai Foreign Service's AI-enabled human resources services.

This year's expo features more than 480 representative innovations making their global, Asian, or China debuts, a record for the event.

Madiha Abid, a journalist with Pakistan Television News, said she was impressed by the breadth of technologies on display, from AI and next-generation communications to cars and cameras. She saw opportunities for Pakistan to access new technologies and to expand cooperation with China.

Gizelle Amada Lanza Rodrigues, an influencer from Honduras, said she had not expected the exhibition to be so large. She was struck by the variety of technologies and products from different countries and saw the event as an opportunity for people to learn about one another and develop cooperation.

The visit also offered impressions of Shanghai beyond the exhibition halls. Datsov praised the event's organization and recalled visiting Shanghai Tower and taking a river cruise. He added that it may be the best place in the world to spend the night.

Abid was also impressed by Shanghai's development, illuminated nightscape, and visitors from around the world. "Shanghai is a life and life is Shanghai," she said.