(Yicai Global) Oct. 26 -- Almost 350 firms from 33 countries and regions are slated to showcase their products at the expanded medical equipment and healthcare products area of this year's China International Import Expo.

The group includes more than 70 Fortune 500 companies, Shanghai Observer reported, citing Wu Jun, the person in charge of the specific section at the expo. The national trade expo is held in Shanghai Nov. 5-10.

The medical equipment and healthcare products area has been enlarged to 70,000 square meters from last year's 60,000 smq, said Wu. The number of new products and technologies launched at the fourth CIIE is expected to be significantly higher than during the previous three expos, Wu added.

Some 90 percent of the 2021 exhibitors are second-time participants. Some of them signed up as early as two years ago, per Wu. Moreover, some companies, including Roche, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, and Merck, have already secured their spots for next year's event.

The 2021 CIIE will welcome exhibitors from the world’s top seven companies in the fields of in vitro diagnostics, cardiovascular health, medical imaging, and life sciences, according to the event organizer. Moreover, leading dental health, radiotherapy and genetic testing firms will participate.

Visitors can witness some new product launches at the event. GE Healthcare is expected to unveil its Signa Butler, a magnetic resonance imaging machine that uses fifth-generation wireless networks. Abbott Laboratories will be showcasing its LibreLinkUp mobile application for the first time in Asia. The app can be used in conjunction with the American company's blood glucose monitoring sensor for diabetics.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi