About 180 US companies to attend CIIE

▶ Washington not sending high-level officials to participate in Shanghai event

A total of 180 US firms have shown enthusiasm to participate in the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and they expect to find communication platforms and tap into cooperation potential, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said on Thursday, in response to reports that the US has no plans for sending high-level government officials to the event.

The number of US companies coming to the event is ranks third out of all the countries that will attend the event, with companies from sectors including high-end manufacturing, intelligence equipment, house appliances, culture and sports, many of which are industry leaders and among the global top 500 companies, Gao Feng, MOFCOM spokesperson, told the Global Times.

“The CIIE will offer a highlevel communication platform for companies from the US and other countries, sharing development opportunities,” Gao said. But he added that the US will not open a national exhibition during the fair.

The comment comes after a US embassy spokesman said that the US does not plan to send senior government officials to attend the expo in Shanghai, Reuters reported.

The spokesman also called for China to end what he claimed to be “harmful and unfair trade practices.”

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also said at

a press briefing on Thursday that “the US is making trouble out of nothing.”

“What is puzzling is that the US side requires China to open its market to US products and services, but on the other hand, when the door is opened, the US is not willing to send highlevel officials to participate.”