The first online overseas roadshow of the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) is held in Shanghai on April 9. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The first online overseas roadshow of the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held in Shanghai on April 9. The event was aimed at attracting more German exhibitors to the event later this year.

To date, more than 1,000 global enterprises, including nearly 100 exhibitors from Germany, have signed up for this year's expo. These exhibitors include Volkswagen, BMW, Zeiss Group, Siemens and other industrial giants, said Liu Fuxue, deputy director general of the CIIE Bureau.

Liu noted that companies have already signed up for more than 60 percent of the planned exhibition space.

Christine Mueller, deputy general manager of AHK/GIC Shanghai, stressed that the CIIE will be even more important in fostering new connections and deepening existing trade relations because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The last two editions have proved that the CIIE is an excellent platform for German companies to develop closer relations with partners in the public sector and network with existing or new potential business partners in China," she said.

Germany was one of the major exhibitors of the expo last year, with more than 200 companies in attendance. The country had the most exhibitors and exhibition areas among European nations.

"We welcome more German exhibitors to participate in the third CIIE and bring economic and trade cooperation between the two countries to a new level," said Liu.

In 2019, bilateral trade between China and Germany totaled nearly $190 billion, up 0.6 percent year-on-year. China has been Germany's most important trading partner for four consecutive years, while Germany has remained China's largest trading partner in Europe for 45 consecutive years.

Amid the epidemic, non-contact means such as phone calls, video calls and emails, as well as cloud signing, have been introduced to accelerate the preparation of the third CIIE this year.