Expand independent opening up, actively expand imports, and promote balanced development of trade; jointly expand the cake of cooperation, safeguard the multilateral trading system and free trade; strengthen mutual promotion of activities, strengthen supply and demand matching, and deepen international interaction... On February 4, at the first event of "Sharing the Big Market·Exporting to China" in 2026, a series of signals and specific measures to expand opening were intensively released. The Ministry of Commerce announced that it will hold more than 100 series of events throughout the year to promote global high-quality goods and services to enter thousands of households in China more smoothly.

Interviewed guests and industry experts said that this is not only a series of trade promotion activities, but also a pragmatic action by China to actively open its market to the world and share growth opportunities. China's large market is injecting certainty and new impetus into global trade and economic growth.

At the launching ceremony, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao said that holding the "Export to China" series of activities is China's initiative to expand independent opening up, actively expand imports, and promote balanced trade development; it is China's innovative move from the perspective of trading partners to jointly expand the cake of cooperation and safeguard the multilateral trading system and free trade.

Wang Wentao introduced that in 2026, the Ministry of Commerce will hold more than 100 series of activities, inviting countries such as the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Kenya, and Thailand to serve as the annual theme countries of "Export to China" to strengthen mutual promotion of activities, strengthen supply and demand matching, deepen international interaction, and support more high-quality goods and services from around the world to enter thousands of households in China.

At the event site, "shared market" became a frequently used word in the exchanges between domestic and foreign guests. A series of latest economic data confirm the huge capacity and growth resilience of the Chinese market: in 2025, China's GDP will jump to a new level of 140 trillion yuan for the first time, the total retail sales of consumer goods will exceed 50 trillion yuan, and the total scale of imports of goods trade will reach 18.48 trillion yuan. This huge and continuously upgrading market is continuing to create stable demand for the world through branding activities such as "Export to China".

Representatives from many countries’ embassies, chambers of commerce and enterprises in China have responded positively to the opening dividends that the Chinese market continues to release.

British Ambassador to China Wei Lei said in his speech that the UK attaches great importance to cooperation with China in trade, investment, innovation and industrial development, and will actively work with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, local government departments and industry partners to continue to promote two-way trade, promote pragmatic cooperation, and create more practical opportunities for the two countries.

Ouyang Liwen, chief representative of the Beijing Representative Office of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pointed out that for German companies, China is not only a crucial production and investment base, but also increasingly becoming an important target market for high-tech and high-quality products. Sino-German business cooperation is moving towards higher added value and higher quality.

The event is not only a declaration of policy, but also a docking of practical results. In the Indonesian national exhibition hall, a wide range of coffee products became the focus. According to on-site staff, Indonesian cat poop coffee has been recognized by the Chinese market, established stable cooperation with buyers in Shanghai, Beijing and other places, and successfully entered mainstream e-commerce platforms. They are full of expectations to further explore the Chinese market through the "Export to China" activity.

In front of the corporate booth, the interaction between innovation and the market became another highlight. The relevant person in charge of Tesla said that China’s “big shared market” is not only an important consumer market, but also a “testing ground” and “application field” for innovation. Feedback from users in the Chinese market and the diversity of driving scenarios have accelerated the maturity of its technology, which in turn has enhanced the global competitiveness of its products.

Industry experts believe that the "Export to China" activity is a long-term "invitation" sent by China to the world and a "propeller" to promote in-depth international exchanges and cooperation. Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Ministry of Commerce Research Institute, told reporters that the population base, growth potential and diversified consumer demands of China's ultra-large market constitute unique advantages. At the same time, the constantly improving circulation system provides guarantee for international commodities to reach consumers efficiently.

“This will allow China’s large market to become a ‘profit field’ and an innovation ‘testing ground’ for industries of various countries.” Zhou Mi said. He also emphasized that "Export to China", "Invest in China" and "Buy in China" are linked and promoted, covering multiple dimensions such as the flow of goods, capital and people, aiming to allow all parties to share trade and investment opportunities in the Chinese market.

As for future import growth points, Zhu Caihua, a professor at the School of Economics at the University of International Business and Economics, analyzed that they should be explored in conjunction with consumption upgrades and industrial transformation needs. In terms of categories, we can focus on consumer upgrade categories such as imported food, maternal and infant products, and health and elderly care, as well as categories required for industrial upgrading such as advanced technology equipment, key components, and bulk commodities. In terms of regional countries, we can deepen supply chain cooperation with countries co-building the “Belt and Road”, strengthen trade with the EU, Japan and South Korea in the fields of high-end consumer goods and intermediate goods, and stabilize imports from resource-based countries through long-term agreements and other means. (Reporter Wang Wenbo) (Intern Zhang Chi also contributed to this article)