BEIJING (CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The second China International Import Expo, which concluded on Sunday (Nov 10), was embraced by international businesses, showcasing the attraction of the growing Chinese market and the important role China is playing in boosting global trade and economic growth.

More than 3,800 enterprises, many of them global leaders in their respective industries, participated in this year's expo, compared with about 3,600 participants last year.

According to the organisers, preliminary deals worth US$71.13 billion (S$96.8 billion) were inked, up 23 per cent compared with the first expo held last year.

Also giving the expo a big vote of confidence, more than 230 companies from all over the world, including 80 Fortune Global 500 companies or industry leaders, have already signed up for the third China International Import Expo, the expo organiser announced on Sunday.

But even more important than these tangible signs of its popularity, the expo reaffirmed China's commitment to continued opening-up.

At the first expo last year, President Xi Jinping announced five initiatives for China's further opening-up and three specific steps for Shanghai to open wider to the world.

One year on, those initiatives and steps have by and large been put in place and carried out, demonstrating that China seeks to match its words with deeds.

On Tuesday (Nov 5), in his keynote speech at the opening ceremony for the second expo, Xi again promised China will open its door wider to the world, pledging that the country will continue to adhere to opening-up as a fundamental state policy.

Further opening-up allied to the strategy of innovation-driven development, will not only realise China's high-quality development, it will also create new growth opportunities for the global economy.

China does not want to sit idle when many parts of the world are still taking pains searching for suitable ways to achieve similar economic progress.

While continuing to open up its economy so that other parts of the world will benefit, China has attached importance to sharing with other countries its lessons and experiences in economic development.

The world has come to a crucial crossroad, with unilateralism and populism on the rise and threatening global economic integration.

In the face of these headwinds and the backlash against economic globalisation, it is essential that countries work together to realise inclusive and mutually beneficial development so that the benefits reach more countries and peoples.

The international community should join hands to find a proper way to promote strong and balanced economic development.

China's development model, which is centred on reform and opening-up based on the country's unique local conditions, can act as a reference for other countries to make their contributions to shared development and prosperity.

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