ON the first day of the 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE), U.S. chemical giant Dow signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese company ZKH Group Ltd.

According to the deal, Dow will provide ZKH with silicone products valued at US$300 million to sell via online platforms, as well as with product and technical consulting services.

As the world’s first import-themed national-level expo, the CIIE kicked off Sunday in Shanghai, attracting participants and guests from 154 countries, regions and international organizations this year.

“The CIIE is an important platform for us to showcase our latest innovative technologies for China and the Asia-Pacific region. It is a one-stop display of our R&D expertise and manufacturing know-how and highlights the valuable partnerships we have in China,” said Puay Koon Chia, Dow Asia Pacific president.

This year, more than 200 U.S. exhibitors in semiconductors, medical devices, new energy vehicles, cosmetics and other sectors attended the annual import expo, marking the largest U.S. presence in the history of the CIIE. Among the exhibitors are 17 from the agricultural and food industry, led by the U.S. government for the first time.

Since 2018, U.S. firms have been at the forefront of the CIIE participant countries in exhibition areas and exhibitor numbers.

In recent years, agriculture has become a focus of the China-U.S. economic and trade cooperation. In 2022, the trade volume of agricultural products between China and the United States exceeded US$50 billion and the U.S. agricultural exports to China reached a record US$42 billion.

The Chinese market is very important and it has a lot of growth potential, said Jason Hafemeister, acting deputy under-secretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The American food and agriculture pavilion at the CIIE, spanning over 440 square meters, opened its doors to a vibrant surge of visitors Monday. From coarse sea salt and Californian red blend wines to cheese, dairy, nuts and berries, the pavilion was abuzz with consultations and negotiations.

At the opening ceremony of the pavilion, U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns noted that the United States and China have a vital economic and trade relationship, and the United States is not in favor of decoupling from China. (Xinhua)