(Yicai) Oct. 31 -- As China seeks ways to bolster consumption, the issue will be discussed by Chinese and foreign experts at the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, as part of the fast-approaching China International Import Expo.

A sub-forum dedicated to the consumption issue is scheduled to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai on the afternoon of Nov. 6, hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and co-organized by the China International Import Expo Bureau and Yicai.

Huang Qifan, former mayor of Chongqing, Prof. Jiang Xiaojuan, president of the China Federation of Industrial Economics, and Liu Yuanchun, president of Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, will deliver keynote speeches at the sub-forum.

The scholars and entrepreneurs who will also participate include 2015 Nobel Laureate in Economics Angus Deaton, Jean-François Guihard, president of the French Livestock and Meat Association, Jiang Wenge, general manager of distiller Wuliangye, and Shen Jianguang, chief economist at online retailer JD.Com.

Wu Shengbo, president and chief executive of Ford China, and Ma Xiaoyu, general manager of L'Oréal China's luxury cosmetics division will also join the discussion.

The panelists will share their insights on how China can effectively promote consumption at both the macro-economic and industrial levels, as well as offering policy recommendations.

Consumption is a major driver of China’s economic growth. Gross domestic product rose 5.2 percent CNY91.3 trillion (USD12.5 trillion) in the first three quarters from a year earlier, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. Final consumption expenditure contributed 83 percent to economic growth, fueling GDP growth by 4.4 percentage points.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Tom Litting