From Passive Actor to Active Leader

The closing ceremony of the Fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) took place in Shanghai on November 10. As the world's first dedicated import exhibition at the national level, the CIIE serves as an important platform for international purchasing, investment promotion, cultural exchanges and cooperation. The Fourth CIIE coincided with the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). The past two decades have seen China's economic aggregate jump from about 10 trillion yuan ($1.54 trillion) in 2001, to more than 100 trillion yuan ($15.4 trillion) in 2020, while its total foreign trade leapt to $4.6 trillion from $500 billion during the same period.