Shanghai, which is set to host the fifth edition of the China International import Expo in November, will continue to embrace global business for its future development, said the city's deputy Party chief on Monday.
上海市委副书记、市长龚正8月8日表示，上海将继续向世界开放市场以促进发展。今年11月上海将迎来第五届中国国际进口博览会。
Gong Zheng, who is also mayor of Shanghai, said 85 percent of the exhibition space has been booked, and those confirmed as attending include some 270 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders.
龚正表示，到目前为止，签约展览面积已占规划面积的85%以上，世界500强和行业龙头企业签约270多家。
"The holding of the annual expo since 2018 demonstrates China's determination to open its domestic market to the world, and its confidence in an open global economy," he said.
龚正称：“2018年以来，进博会已经连续成功举办四届，充分彰显了我国主动向世界开放市场的决心和信心。”
As a national-level import-themed trade fair, the expo has accelerated the upgrading of Shanghai as a global trade center, with businesses and logistics integrated with cities in the Yangtze River Delta, China's economic powerhouse, as well as other major trade hubs in the Asia Pacific region, said Gong.
龚正表示，作为以进口为主题的国家级展会，进博会推动全球贸易中心上海实现升级，联动长三角、辐射亚太其他主要贸易中心。
During previous editions of the CIIE, some 3,000 brands have debuted products, an indication that Shanghai is now one of the choice destinations for businesses to launch new products and services, he added.
龚正还表示，在前几届进博会中，约3000个品牌在上海首发、首秀、首展，全球新品首发地加快形成。
Jens Hildebrandt, executive director of the German Chamber of Commerce in China, said it has participated in the expo from the very beginning.
中德商会执行理事延斯·希尔德布兰特表示，中德商会从一开始就参加了进博会。
"Our companies signed contracts worth $17 billion (last year)…Through the CIIE, small and medium-sized German enterprises were able to boost their sales in the market," he said.
希尔德布兰特称：“我们的公司（去年）签订了价值170亿美元的合同……通过进博会，德国中小型企业能够提高市场销售额。”
Besides hosting the grand import expo, Shanghai has been tasked with a series of national strategies in the past decade, including establishing the country's first free trade zone, piloting a registration-based initial public offering system on its sci-tech innovation board, and leading the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta region.
除举办进博会外，上海在过去十年中还肩负着一系列国家重大战略任务，包括建立中国首个自由贸易试验区，设立科创板并试点注册制，以及推动长三角一体化发展等。
Policies fostering innovation and facilitating trade have taken shape in the Pudong New Area, which was allocated as a "pioneering area for socialist modernization" last year, after it celebrated the 30th anniversary of its opening-up in 2020.
2020年，浦东新区在庆祝开发开放30周年后，被赋予“打造社会主义现代化建设引领区”的重大使命，鼓励创新和促进贸易的政策在这里落地生效。
Over the past decade, Shanghai's GDP has doubled from 2.13 trillion yuan ($315 billion) in 2012 to 4.32 trillion yuan in 2021, ranking fourth among cities worldwide and total trading volume in its financial markets jumped from 528 trillion yuan to 2,511 trillion yuan during the same period, according to Gong.
龚正称，过去十年，上海的全市生产总值翻了一番，从2012年的2.13万亿元增长到2021年的4.32万亿元，跻身全球城市第四位。过去十年，上海金融市场交易总额从528万亿元增长到2511万亿元。
Wu Qing, executive vice-mayor of Shanghai, said opening-up is the biggest advantage for Shanghai and the city government has made attracting global talent and investment its top priority.
上海市常务副市长吴清表示，对外开放是上海的最大优势，上海市政府已将吸引国际人才和外资作为工作重中之重。
"Facing a complex international situation and the grave impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in the first half of this year, Shanghai still maintained growth in actual use of foreign capital, which surpassed $12 billion, and also welcomed 26 new regional headquarters belonging to multinational corporations," said Wu.
吴清称：“今年上半年，面对严峻复杂的国内外形势特别是疫情冲击，上海利用外资仍然保持正增长，实际使用外资超过120亿美元，新增跨国公司地区总部26家。”
Currently, more than 60,000 foreign companies are doing business in Shanghai. A total of 857 multinationals have chosen Shanghai for their regional headquarters, and 516 have established research and development centers in the city.
截至目前，超过6万家外资企业在上海投资兴业，目前集聚的跨国公司地区总部和外资研发中心分别达到了857家和516家。
