DUBLIN - A meeting to promote China International Import Expo (CIIE), the first of its kind to be organized by China in Shanghai later this year, was held here on Wednesday, with many participants having shown great interest in taking part in the upcoming event.

Organized by the Chinese Embassy in Ireland, the half-day meeting was attended by over 100 people from different sectors of the country, including officials from different government departments and business associations such as Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia (Irish Food Board) and Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

Representatives from famous local businesses such as ABP Food Group, AVOCA and Butlers Chocolates also attended the meeting, which also drew the participation of many officials and businessmen from the neighbouring counties of Dublin such as Kildare, Fingal and Wicklow. A number of local famous universities such as Trinity College Dublin also sent their representatives to the meeting.

Addressing the meeting, Chinese Ambassador to Ireland Yue Xiaoyong said the holding of the first CIIE, which was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping at last May's Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijng, will not only provide opportunities for exporters around the world to explore the Chinese market, but also create a platform for countries to share business opportunities with each other.

The event, which will be held every year starting from 2018, not only represents China's sincere wish to further open its market to the world, but also reflects the win-win spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative, said the ambassador.

Yue said that in the next five years China is expected to import products and services worth more than $10 trillion and this will provide a great opportunity for the Irish business community to explore the Chinese market with a population of 1.3 billion.

An official promotion video of CIIE and a detailed introduction to the first CIIE as well as how to participate in the event were presented at the meeting.

According to Wen Chen, chairman of Ireland China Science and Technology Association, the sole authorized promoter of CIIE in Ireland, a number of participants have expressed their interest in attending CIIE and two local companies, namely Emerald Green Baby, a dairy producer, and Kapak, a meat processor, have confirmed their attendance to CIIE right at Wednesday's meeting.

CIIE will be held in Shanghai on Nov 5-10, 2018.