China's consumer shift: not just importing, but integrating global supply chains

Visitors interact with a robot from Unitree Robotics during the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) in Haikou,网易新闻网直播甘肃网信 south China's Hainan Province, April 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)

HAIKOU, April 20 (Xinhua) -- The sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) concluded on Saturday in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province. It drew 3,413 premium consumer brands from 67 countries and regions, with international exhibits making up 65 percent of the total, a sharp increase of 20 percentage points from the previous edition.

The strong turnout reflects the growing demand among Chinese consumers for high-quality and diverse products, as the country keeps opening its market wider.

According to the organizer, the total exhibition area reached 143,000 square meters, up 13,000 square meters from the previous edition. The cumulative number of visitors exceeded 340,000, with single-day attendance surpassing 60,000, both setting new records. Meanwhile, over 200 new products made their debut, double last year's number, covering fields like healthcare, jewelry and digital technology.

To boost supply-procurement efficiency and better serve global supply chains, this year's CICPE upgraded its online supply-demand matching platform and launched a 1,000-square-meter buyer service center for the first time, offering full-process matchmaking services to exhibitors and buyers. The expo also hosted over 10 dedicated matchmaking events, attracting some 65,000 professional buyers, among whom 3,000 were from overseas, triple the number of last year.

At a more profound level, this consumption upgrade is reshaping the global supply chain landscape -- driving international brands to pivot from "entering China" to "adapting to China," allowing them to respond more quickly to consumer preferences while maintaining proximity to the local market.

"Despite rising global uncertainties, the CICPE has grown in scale year by year, consistently attracting international brands for debuts. The concentration of new product launches at this year's expo, in particular, shows how much international brands value China's consumer market," said Andrew Wu, president of Dun & Bradstreet China.

Moreover, bolstered by the latest five-year plan's (2026-2030) clear mandate to boost consumption, China's stable consumer demand will undoubtedly encourage more international companies to invest more and expand their presence in the market.

"China is not just a growing market. It is a platform for innovation, competition, research and development, partnership, and learning," Sean Stein, president of the U.S.-China Business Council, said at the launch event of the sixth CICPE on Monday. "So American companies are not only selling in China, they're investing in China, they're building in China. And most importantly, they are partnering with Chinese companies, both in China and around the world."

At this year's expo, the Volkswagen Group made a prominent appearance with its brand portfolio, including Bentley, Lamborghini and Audi, focusing on new energy and intelligent mobility to further deepen its presence in China and align with Chinese consumer demand.

"The product portfolio not only shows the group's continuously updated product lineup and steadily enhanced technological strength, but also underscores our firm commitment to deeply cultivating the Chinese market," said Su Bahong, vice president of Volkswagen Group China.

With over 70 leading enterprises having set up operations in Hainan thanks to the first five CICPE editions, the expo is emerging as a key link for global companies to tap into China's opportunities, and for Chinese brands looking to expand into international markets.

Meanwhile, this year's CICPE also featured, for the first time, a 360-square-meter Taiwan exhibition area, where about 20 Taiwanese companies presented 24 brands. The initiative is designed to promote Taiwan specialty products globally and help more Taiwan businesses integrate into the dual-circulation development pattern that connects the domestic and international markets, said Yin Libo, a senior Hainan official.

Many Taiwanese businesspeople expressed their willingness to further cultivate the mainland market, and Yin said Taiwan businesses are welcome to share in the FTP's opportunities.

More than 2,900 Taiwan-invested enterprises had been registered in Hainan by the end of 2025, with actual Taiwan investment totaling about 5.9 billion U.S. dollars, according to the provincial authority.

Chinese trendy e-commerce platform Poizon, an exhibitor for six consecutive years, saw its AI authentication zone become a major attraction this year, allowing visitors to upload product photos and receive instant professional authentication reports. According to Chen Yuyao, a booth staff member, the platform has provided over 1.37 billion authentication services, covering nearly 3,000 brands across 26 major categories. Its "authenticate-before-ship" model has created a strong guarantee for quality consumption.

"China's tech innovation is integrating into all consumption scenarios, including retail, mobility and healthcare, enhancing consumer experiences while pushing global supply chains to become more digital, intelligent and efficient," Wu said.

The policy dividends of the Hainan Free Trade Port's (FTP) are providing institutional support for linking global supply chains. Meiyu Pearl, a CICPE exhibitor at this year's expo, has directly benefited from the "tariff exemption for value-added processing" policy under the Hainan FTP's island-wide special customs operations. By integrating global sourcing, local processing and global sales into a single chain, the company has cut costs, boosted competitiveness and is now leveraging the expo to accelerate its entry into the global jewelry trade cycle.

Kuang Xianming, deputy head of the China Institute for Reform and Development, said the shift from "buying global" to "linking global" demonstrates the strengths of China's super-sized market and its high-level opening-up. The CICPE will continue to amplify its platform effect, using consumption upgrades to optimize supply chains and promote efficient allocation of global resources and market integration, thereby contributing to world economic prosperity. 

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