China has wrapped up a flagship import trade fair that sought to boost foreign access to its market, even as the government’s strict anti-coronavirus measures continue to constrain international trade with the country.
The China International Import Expo in Shanghai, one of the world’s largest trade events and a personal project of President Xi Jinping since it launched in 2018, hosted more than half of the biggest multinational companies, according to organisers.
The event, which was held partly virtually last year, comes at a pivotal moment. China’s economy faces intensifying pressure from the government’s zero-Covid policies, weakening trade data and mounting scrutiny of its reopening prospects.