Discussion keeps the world turning.
This is Roundtable.
Shanghai is rolling out the red carpet for the world.
The China International Import Expo, or CIIE, is back for its seventh year, offering a prime stage for global brands to connect with China's dynamic market.
Stay tuned as we dive into the highlights.
And as we age, memories fade like old films.
Now older adults seek to preserve their live stories in amber by hiring someone to write them into a book.
We take a look at the latest slice of what's called the silver economy.
Coming to you live from Beijing, this is Roundtable.
I'm He Yang. For today's program, I'm joined by Steve Hatherly and Li Yi.
First on today's show, the stage is set in Shanghai as the seventh China International Import Expo begins.
From November 5th to 10th, nearly 300 Fortune Global 500 and industry -leading companies are showcasing their latest innovations and breakthroughs.
Ready to explore this world of opportunities and possibilities, let's take a look at what this year's CIIE has in store.
Li Yi and Steve, what are each of you most curious or excited about?
Well, actually, I visited the very first CIIE in 2018, and I was super amazed by the scale of this exhibition.
And you see a lot of foreign international brands, they are releasing, they're very high tech and cutting edge technologies there.
And I was quite amazed by one German manufacturing company, they were releasing a set of robotic arms, which can help manufacture cars.
That was not something new back then, but people were still pretty excited about it.
So I'm really curious about how this kind of new technology is being involved in the recent years because it's 2024, with AI, with everything new.
I'm really curious to see those new exhibitions.
Yeah, we talk about technology all the time on the show, but to be there and to be able to see it put into practice and see what's coming next.
How will AI be incorporated into the products that we will be using coming up in the next few years?
I'm excited about that as well.
And I always pay attention to the cars.
I'm not really a car expert, per se, I don't really know about engines and things like that, but I do like to look at them, I do like to drive them, and I love to know what's going on in the interiors too.
Yes. And instead of getting all the information from us, let's bring in our eyes and ears on the floor of CIIE.
Just before our broadcast, I caught up with our reporter Yushan at CIIE for a quick chat and here is our conversation.
Yushan, give us a sense of the vibe and what's happening at the CIIE this year.
Hello, Hiang, it's so nice to hear a familiar voice.
So, the most heated area here in this CIIE should be the media center where I'm sitting at right now, where all the journalists from all over the world, from all different media, is joining.
But as I was walking around in the exhibiting area, I noticed that many of the exhibitors have not yet joining in their booth.
But in the same time, I see a lot of beautiful booths already lit up, already ready for taking in guests.
And there are tables for them to contact with potential buyers, to come up with some potential deals to come true in the future.
So everybody is getting prepared to welcome the participants from all four corners of the world to join the CIIE and to grab a taste of it.
People here are very excited about it, especially there are very young volunteers around me right now and they all look like they're just college students are trying to provide their services to this national event.
So yeah, things are pretty fast paced here right now.
Oh, it sounds like there's an exciting atmosphere at CIIE.
And certainly the horses are in the stables and then we're ready for action.
And it's good that you brought up the point of volunteers.
Yes, it takes so many people to get such an international event organized.
So don't forget their input as well.
What's new at this year's CIIE?
By the sound of it, there are a lot of exciting arrangements set to go.
Oh, and on the data side, the way I see it is that there are more global enterprises joining this year.
So the seventh CIIE has attracted participants from around 152 countries and regions and also international organizations.
And, well, so far, my record tells me that it has achieved a new high record with 297 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders setting to attend it this year.
So I would say that it's becoming more globally impacted.
And also this year, I noticed that a lot of the brands, they're trying to focus their products on the goal of sustainability and also some zero carbon products.
For example, one of my interviewee is actually about to release their Asian first carbon neutral milk product.
So this is a dairy company and they're going to produce this boxed milk product that's supposed to be zero carbon from its production to the release and to the transportation of the product to the selling point.
So in the future, maybe consumers can drink, say, quote unquote green milk or at least green produced milk in a way.
For a lot of the enterprises this year, they're trying to make their product more carbon neutral.
And in the meantime, they're trying to build their booth in a very green and sustainable way, as I heard that the materials they're using to build the booth are actually a lot of them are recyclable after the closure of this event.
So yeah, I would definitely say this is a lot of the new trend among the enterprises this year.
And it's definitely the goal of the CIA.
Yeah, many exhibitors are highlighting eco -friendly products and practices.
It's reflecting a global shift towards sustainability.
And this is a reoccurring and evergreen focus, it feels in CIIE in recent years.
Sustainability is definitely an area where we can see new technology and new ideas are reflected.
And you mentioned zero carbon milk.
That's such an interesting idea.
For a lot of us, we take for granted, we don't really think about the carbon that goes into making everything around us, including milk.
So yeah, that's definitely one interesting example.
Companies aren't just talking the talk, they're walking the walk.
And it seems like some companies these days have really integrated sustainability in unexpected ways into their business operation.
Yushin, could you tell us more about that?
Oh, yeah, sustainable development is one of the important themes of the CIIE this year.
And I was just walking in the supply chain exhibition just now, and I was talking to the exhibitor from DHL, the logistic company, and according to them, they're about to host like a mini roundtable of their own, inviting two of their clients to the booth here at the CIIE, so that they're going to showcase
to all the audiences about how DHL is helping their clients to achieve their goals to maintain this whole sustainable logistic process.
Because DHL, they have their own sustainable services provided to various clients, and some of the clients share this goal, and they're trying to make their full logistics and also the full production and transportation process in a sustainable way.
So these companies such as DHL, they're trying to make this happen for other clients that have something new that I noticed among the exhibitors this year.
So they're trying to provide a full service extended to each of the processes.
And how does the CIIE impact the global market landscape with China being the host?
And what role does the CIIE play in helping companies enter the Chinese market?
So yeah, that's a very nice question, Ho Young.
I was just reading from some reports from other media and with other exhibitors.
Some of them agree with China hosting the CIIE, especially now that it's the seventh time.
And this national level exhibition is a big platform that for them, especially the foreign founded enterprises to have this time to have this chance to sit down with the Chinese buyers and also to be presented with this convenience and assurance for this two way communication between them and also the bigger
Chinese market as well.
We say that the CIIE is an import fair and the import has always been a major goal for China as well.
So China is the second largest economy as well as the second largest importer and consumer in the world.
And when the CIIE was first hosted, it introduced that China is expecting to import products and services valuing more than 10 trillion US dollars, which provides a historic opportunity for enterprises across the world to enter the huge market of China.
So I would say that the CIIE is like a big market or a big international fair that attracts exhibitors or rather the brands and companies from all around the world to sit down to be here and to showcase their services and products to the Chinese market.
And also we see that the CIIE is held in Shanghai.
As you probably know, Shanghai enjoys favorable location advantage with great economic strength and also well -developed service industries and the ability to allocate resources.
So we see that being hosted here in Shanghai, the CIIE has already demonstrated China's strong commitment to just supporting economic globalization through building such an event that's joined not just by us, but also it's bigger chorus of all different nations around the world.
So I guess that's the main purpose of the China International Import Expo.
It certainly provides a unique environment for companies to connect with potential partners, distributors and customers in China.
And yeah, CIIE highlights China's commitment to opening its market to the world and reinforcing its role as a major player in global trade.
Thank you, Yuxian, for speaking with me.
And we look forward to receiving more audio and video clips from you and get the latest action on the ground in Shanghai from you.
Thank you, Huyang. Yeah, we'll see you soon.
Yeah, well, that's me talking with Yuxian and you can hear the excitement in her voice and we've been covering CIIE every year.
And it's really also, I keep on using this word exciting, but it really does describe how I feel about it to see how the event grows and its reach expands and more people, more companies and brands getting involved into the Chinese market.
Yeah, and it is an exciting event because it's huge.
It's absolutely huge.
420 ,000 square meters and so many participants in the expo.
It's really almost unbelievable.
You have to see video footage of the size of this space to understand that if you were to be there, you couldn't cover everything in a day I don't even think.
You'd have to be there for multiple days.
So it is a very exciting event.
I love that she mentioned that the booths are made out of recyclable materials.
That's a really cool thing that they're doing this year, green milk, we can look for maybe marketing, maybe focus group, that term.
But sustainable milk is something, yeah, we didn't think about before.
Important to clients, she mentioned as well, the fact that sustainability is something that companies aren't just trying to achieve, but it's important to clients too, which therefore makes it important to companies.
And those are some of the things that stood out from what she was talking about there.
Definitely and I think I agree with you and also Ushan Sustainability is definitely one of the highlights for this year's CIIE.
And she mentioned a logistic company and actually for many other sectors or industries, those companies are also showing their commitment to achieving sustainability at this year's CIIE.
For example, Steve, you just mentioned you're crazy about auto industry.
And this year, CIIE will bring together 12 fortune 500 automakers with a strong emphasis on sustainable development and the future of mobility.
And one example would be a Web Bestow, which is a company headquartered in Germany that makes sunroofs and electric car equipment and they're releasing its product which integrates solar energy into vehicle design this year's CIIE.
And also Michelin, one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world, is introducing tires made from 71 % sustainable materials.
So at this year's CIIE, you can see these innovations from the sole automaker industry that are really representing the industry's commitment to eco -friendly practices and advanced technology.
And also, so it applies to electric industry because this year we do have several guest countries of honor at this year's and France is one of those countries.
And particularly the France Pavilion will celebrate the 16th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and France.
So leading companies from France, from various sectors will display the rich achievements in those bilateral trade.
And one company Schneider Electric is a French industrial and technology group and also a seven -time participant at the CIIE.
And they are present at this year's event, new concepts, products, services, and all those new ideas that combine digital automation and their very unique technologies.
So all these I think are pretty exciting for not only exhibitors, but also audiences and those trade partners who are looking for more achievements in this year's exhibition.
Absolutely. The French Pavilion, as you mentioned, celebrating their 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France.
Seven countries, they have these country exhibition spots at the expo and seven countries, along with UNICEF actually, will be making their debut at the event this year.
Madagascar, for example, Norway, Slovakia, those are other examples.
I thought this was notable as well.
The Laos Pavilion will highlight the China -Laos Railway as its central theme, illustrating how the railway facilitates the entry of Laos specialty products into the Chinese market, too.
So definitely worth checking out.
I mean, it's all worth checking out, but the country exhibition area, I think, is a really interesting spot.
Yes. And the central theme is also interesting when you see, oh, this is what they want to highlight.
And also it's important to have these smooth transportation lines available, such as the railway between China and along the way Laos, as such, and then all these goods can be transported back and forth.
And also right before we started the show, Steve and I, we were talking more like exchanging our reviews of a mega fruit.
Yes. The monster fruit durian.
Yeah, exactly. That's going to be in the food and agricultural exhibition area.
So if you visit their website, then you'll be able to see all of this information.
But the expo itself is broken down into different exhibition areas.
One is food and agricultural.
One is automobile. One is intelligent industry and information technology, consumer goods, medical equipment and healthcare products, trade and services, and then innovation incubation and a special section as well.
So there's tons of stuff to see, but yeah, we were chatting before the show.
And as I was reading through some of the highlights, this one stood out to me from the food and agricultural products section.
A key highlight from this year is the fresh Musang King durian from Malaysia.
Yeah. And this is really important because of the products that will be available in China.
This year was an important year for the two countries because it marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia.
That was in June and they signed several agreements, including one on the inspection and quarantine requirements for fresh durian exported from Malaysia to China.
And unlike previous shipments that were frozen or processed, these fresh durians, they are tree ripened.
They require fast logistics to ensure their quality.
And there are very well -known varieties, one of which is Malaysia's Kusang King.
And now in China, we'll be able to enjoy that very, very fresh.
Well, I should say you will be able to enjoy it very, very fresh.
Durian is quite low on my list of favorite fruits.
Yes, indeed. And I'll be one of those people who's going to rush to the supermarket and hopefully at a more affordable price, since there's more supply of these durian fruits.
And that's pretty much higher on my list as compared to Steve's.
And we see so many firsts happening at this year's CIIE.
What are maybe some of the events that you think deserves all these supple directives?
Well, I think one highlight would be there are like a lot of activities and forums also going on during this year's CIIE.
I mean, it's not only about those companies that are showcasing their products, which is of course a very important thing, but more importantly, you do see conversation going on during this year's CIIE and several research papers, very important research paper in different industries will be released.
And as you said, there are many firsts.
For example, the Enterprise Exhibition Innovation Incubation Zone really focuses for the first time on the four major sectors, including digital economy, green and low carbon life sciences and manufacturing technology, and also for the first time technology innovation themed events such as the Global
Finals of University Entrepreneurship, World Cup and also the Hong Chao Subforum on globalization and youth development sharing a better future are held to help create an open innovation ecosystem.
In the meantime, a number of exhibits representing the development of new quality products versus are launched for the very first time.
And also this year's Expo really showcases more than 400 new products, technology services and also organizes nearly 800, actually 780 sub delegations to participate in procurement, which is the highest in the history as well.
And the meantime, to make the whole transaction and also signing deal process more easier for those exhibitors, according to a China Daily report, customs, clearance instructions and supportive measures have been released as well.
And also during this year's CIE, I mean, you can see a lot of digital payment methods are being introduced, according to a taxi heading service provider in Shanghai, they will complete their, they have completed the installation of 2000 post machines, accepting foreign bank cards before the CIE, which will,
of course, make the whole transaction transaction and business protests easier.
Restaurants have done that in the area as well.
They've installed these machines that make foreign bank cards accessible.
So it's just, it's just stress free for for all of the visitors.
Other things that stood out to me in terms of highlights, I had a really good time this morning kind of flipping through and seeing what was what was going to be really fun.
The King durian, I thought was a good one.
There was also a product that stood out to me from a company that develops and produces innovative prosthetic and orthotic solutions for people who have mobility challenges.
And they're making, you know, talking about first, they're making their debut in the health and elderly care zone, which is another zone that is available there.
And they're going to be launching prosthetic feet designed to help users realize more strenuous exercises with less effort.
So we can see from the examples that we've been giving so far that it really is almost everything under the sun.
And it's the best of the best that's going to be available for different, for different service industries in the coming years.
And medical solutions is part of the service industry.
And there are a couple more examples that I thought were really cool exhibits, showcase going to be showcased at this year's CIE.
And that includes, well, the United States based Abbott, a medical company, unveils Aviar, the world's first dual chamber leadless pacemaker system.
So we're talking about devices that provide synchronized cardiac pacing between two leadless pacemakers.
And I don't understand the technology, but I think the function of this very high tech device is really a promising invention.
And it's really interesting to see what happens in making it more available for the people in need.
And also, during the CIE, the company also launches freestyle LIBER 2 system.
It's a sensor based system that provides real time glucose readings to a smartphone without the need of finger pricks for diabetes patients.
Oh, wow. And that's really interesting too.
And also we're seeing other companies providing new innovations that might not have already hit the market yet.
So yeah, these are some really cool things.
That's the stuff from the medical side of things.
But sports is represented too.
Lee Yee, can I interest you in an AI powered ping pong coaching robot?
Oh, maybe. I'm interested in that.
Tell me more about that.
It's a very sophisticated sports robot.
It's AI driven and it's designed to improve players' ping pong skills or table tennis skills through interactive training.
I saw the picture of it, and it's not a small thing that you can keep in your living room.
This would be something you'd have to keep in your garage or in an industrial sized warehouse.
This thing is pretty big, but it's a robot on one side, not the robot that we typically think of like a standing human looking robot.
It's more of a machine looking thing, but it's holding a ping pong paddle and you're on the other side and it helps to train you through AI, which I thought was pretty cool.
That was very cool.
So now you don't need to find a partner to play with.
Absolutely not. Yeah, you can do it by yourself now.
Definitely. I think AI is another highlight during this year's CIE.
I mean, it's everywhere in every industry and as I said, Schneider Electric will collaborate with Tsinghua University and Shanghai Jia Tung University, and IBM to release new research reports will cover insights into the overall trend of not only carbon neutrality, but also AI technology and energy transformation.
Oh yeah. The CIE's role in the global market and its gateway role for companies into China cannot be overestimated.
And it's a vital platform for fostering international trade and global collaboration.
