People attend a promotion event for the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on March 27, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Officials announced on Wednesday that the Netherlands is encouraged to increase its presence, with both large and small companies, at the upcoming 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE) planned for November in Shanghai.

"The CIIE is the world's first import expo held at a national level, provides an excellent platform for large and small enterprises to showcase and promote their products," Jin Yuan, the economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, said at a promotion event held in Amsterdam.

According to Jin, China aims to increase the import of high-quality goods from the Netherlands and encourages Dutch companies to leverage the CIIEB platform to access China's market opportunities.

The Netherlands has attended six previous CIIE sessions. Last year's expo saw participation from big Dutch companies like ASML and Phillips, as well as innovative SMEs and startups, including those specializing in dairy products.

"The exhibitors highlighted Dutch expertise and innovation across various sectors, from agriculture and consumer products to semiconductors and healthcare," Jin added.

CIIEB Deputy Director-General Wu Zhengping said preparations for the 7th CIIE are currently being accelerated.

"We look forward to Dutch institutions and companies continuing to participate actively in the expo," he said.

He said he hopes Dutch companies will use the CIIE to strengthen cooperation with Chinese counterparts in the fields of artificial intelligence, new energy and the elderly economy, display high-quality Dutch products and brands, and contribute more to Sino-Dutch economic and trade cooperation.

Jochum Haakma, chairman of the Netherlands China Business Council, shared his experiences attending the CIIE in 2018 and 2019 with Xinhua.

China's organization of this expo has sent a clear message globally that "they are not only an export country, but also an import country," he said.

"China is the second largest economy in the world. So everybody needs China. Europe needs China. The Netherlands needs China. But China also needs the outside world," he said. "So there's all the reason to sit together, to talk about business and to do business."

Haakma stressed that "this inter-relationship is very important."

Tao Fenghua, general manager of the Amsterdam branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), told Xinhua that the ICBC, as a comprehensive partner of the CIIE, is committed to helping Dutch companies enter China and expand their business in China.

Chen Yihua, head of China Practice of Dutch law firm Heussen, expressed his interest in the CIIE's potential after attending the event.

As a lawyer, he is willing to help Dutch and European companies to invest and operate in China, aiming to foster trade relations between China and the Netherlands, Chen said.

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