(Yicai) July 27 -- The ninth China International Import Expo is set to open in 100 days, with representatives from multinational companies that have taken part in all previous editions sharing their journey from entering China to rooting and expanding in the country, and even going global with locally developed products.

China has become the second-largest market for US personal care products supplier dōTERRA, as well as its largest raw material source, Owen Messick, the company's country president, told Yicai. Behind the firm's growing exhibition space at the CIIEs lies its determination to deepen its presence in the Chinese market, he noted.

DōTERRA will cover 300 square meters at this year's CIIE, up from an initial nine sqm, Owen pointed out. For the first time, the Utah-based company will have products at two booths, with one highlighting its own brand and the other featuring businesses from Shanghai's Fengxian district that operate in the beauty and health products sector, he added.

The two booths represent not just an expansion of space but also an upgrade in dōTERRA's strategic approach to China, Owen stressed.

The CIIE is no longer just a chance for exhibitors to show their products and leave, but it has transformed into an accelerated pathway from product launch to mass production, as well as from imported goods to domestically produced ones, Tan Yingying, business growth and strategy director of Lesaffre China, which has taken part throughout previous CIIEs, said to Yicai.

Last November, the Lesaffre Baking Center in Shanghai was upgraded to become the Lesaffre Asia-Pacific Industrial Baking Center, Tan pointed out. The center introduced a complete industrial-grade production line, providing testing and customized support that is more aligned with real production environments for clients in China and the Asia-Pacific region, Tan added.

Lesaffre, a 170-year-old French biotechnology company, plans to show its full value-chain microbial fermentation innovative solutions at this year's CIIE. In addition, the company has already reserved its booth for next year's expo.

The CIIE has always been Boston Scientific China's "launch pad" for introducing global cutting-edge medical innovations to the country, Bian Rui, head of corporate affairs at the firm, told Yicai. It is also a core platform for actively participating in the construction of the domestic medical ecosystem, he said.

Boston Scientific has released 24 products shown at the CIIE in the Chinese market, Bian stressed. For example, the Polaris intravascular ultrasound system, which made its debut in 2019, received the company's first medical device registration certificate in China in 2022, he pointed out.

In addition, Boston Scientific has set up a manufacturing base in Shanghai's Lingang Special Area, upgrading from an exhibit to a commercial product and further to a complete industry, Bian pointed out.

Boston Scientific also launched the world's first open medical technology innovation hub, the A3 International Medical Technology Innovation Exchange Center, in the Shanghai Eastern Hub International Business Cooperation Zone, Bian added.

French drugmaker Sanofi, which has participated in every CIIE, will show its innovative original drugs developed in China for the first time at this year's event. The company also plans to conduct about a third of its new research projects in China in the future, promoting innovative outcomes led or deeply involved by the country to reach global customers.

From short-term showcases to year-round trade interactions, exhibitors that never miss the CIIE and returning familiar faces highlight a clear trajectory through their participation: from entering China to establishing a local presence and ultimately expanding to the rest of the world.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Martin Kadiev