SHANGHAI — The 5th China International Import Expo (CIIE) has opened registration for its business exhibition, the organizer said on Aug 12.

So far, more than 20 global companies have signed up for the 5th CIIE, scheduled in Shanghai from Nov 5 to 10 in 2022, said Liu Fuxue, deputy director of the CIIE Bureau.

The 5th CIIE will set up a special section for artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time, Liu added.

Currently, some 360,000 square meters of the 4th CIIE's exhibition area have been booked, meeting the expected target, Liu said.

The CIIE is the first dedicated import exhibition in the world and has seen fruitful outcomes in the past three expos. The 4th CIIE is slated to be held offline in Shanghai from Nov 5 to 10 this year.