Tentative deals totaling $73.5b signed at 5th import expo

SHANGHAI - The fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE) concluded in Shanghai Thursday, with a total of $73.5 billion worth of tentative deals reached for one-year purchases of goods and services.

The figure represented an increase of 3.9 percent from that of last year, Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the CIIE Bureau, told a news conference.

A total of 145 countries, regions and international organizations attended the expo, Sun said, adding that more than 2,800 enterprises from 127 countries and regions participated in the business exhibition, showcasing 438 new products, technologies and services.

There were 284 Fortune 500 companies and corporate giants among the participants, the official said.

Registration for the sixth CIIE has begun, with over 100,000 square meters of the business exhibition area already booked.

The CIIE is the world's first national-level import expo. It was held from Nov 5 to 10 this year in Shanghai.