BEIJING — At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging on and the world economy is teetering along, the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) offers a platform for international companies to explore the Chinese market, giving confidence to the sluggish world economy.

This year's CIIE, with its exhibition area expanded to 360,000 square meters, has attracted more than 2,600 global exhibitors and nearly 400,000 visitors, making it one of the largest events across the world in 2020.

At the expo, China has announced a fresh round of opening-up measures, aiming to turn the Chinese market into a market for the world, a market shared by all and accessible to all.

This serves as a timely reassurance for global investors and business owners.

As a major platform initiated to bolster global trade, the CIIE provides ample business opportunities for enterprises both at home and abroad.

As the third CIIE just concluded in Shanghai on Nov 10, official data showed deals reached for intended one-year purchases of goods and services totaled $72.62 billion, up 2.1 percent from the last expo.

The expo has also boosted exhibitors' confidence in China's market and economy.

"China's determination to hold the CIIE, despite the COVID-19 and the difficult situation in most countries, gives us even more confidence in the stability of the Chinese economy," said Mikhael Mirilashvili, president and CEO of Watergen.

Given the importance of China in the global business, Matthew Price, president of P&G Greater China, said he wants to reinforce the company's confidence in China and continue to invest in China.

China is the first major economy to return to growth from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 epidemic with its economy expanding 0.7 percent year-on-year in the first nine months.

The CIIE is a big symbol of the recovery of the economy in China, said Fabrice Megarbane, CEO of L'Oreal China.

Believing China can play a key role in contributing to the worldwide recovery of economy, Pius S Hornstein, country lead of Sanofi China, said, "it's great to see the recovery because it will inspire other countries to follow the path for economic recovery."

Going forward, China has vowed to steadfastly expand all-around opening-up and explore more efficient ways to connect domestic and foreign markets and share factors of production and resources.

This commitment will enhance global confidence in China and CIIE will continue to contribute to the growth of world economy in future.