A second batch of 125 exhibitors for the third China International Import Expo was announced on Apr. 15th., with nearly a sixth taking part for the first time.

Around 30 percent are Global Fortune 500 enterprises or leaders in their industries, while there are more small and medium-sized enterprises including new friends of the CIIE and even some that have not yet entered the Chinese market.

Clean & Clean, a Portuguese SME, for example, will take part in the third CIIE this year with its exhibition space double the size of its booth last year after it has received a large number of orders both during and after the expo, according to the company.

The consumer goods exhibition area and the technology and equipment section each welcomes five new enterprises, while WE Solutions, a Hong Kong-listed auto firm, signed up for an exhibition area of 650 square meters in the auto exhibition area for its CIIE debut.

Shanghai announced 152 investment projects with a total value of 441.8 billion yuan (US$63.1 billion) on Tuesday to boost economy, including projects from foreign firms like Bosch and Walmart.

Among them, foreign investment totaled US$16 billion, including regional headquarters of Bosch Capital and Mitsubishi Corporation Metal Trading, as well as the Chinese flagship store of Sam’s Club, a chain of membership-only clubs under Walmart.

At the same time, Shanghai unveiled a plan to build 26 sector-specific industrial parks and new industrial space of 60 square kilometers to push forward the city’s development of high-end manufacturing industry.

The signing represents Shanghai’s efforts to resume work and stimulate economy during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Just a day earlier, Shanghai unveiled an action plan to foster new business formats, and the city will further build its development momentum for a digital economy in the next three years.