(Yicai Global) March 12 -- The first China International Import Expo was recently held and preparations for the second one are now in full swing.

The Organizing Committee for the second CIIE recently came into formal being, state People's Daily reported today.

China's commerce, foreign affairs and science and technology ministries, the Shanghai government and other units are leading the Organizing Committee and are responsible for coordinating and promoting the preparation and participation of various departments and localities, and inviting countries, regions, and international organizations to attend.

Many companies from Europe, the US and Australia have already eagerly signed up for the exhibition, hoping to sell their featured products to China, the world's largest market, per the report.

The second CIIE will run from Nov. 5 to Nov. 10 in Shanghai, and the total exhibition area will be 300,000 square meters, up from the modest 30,000 square meters of the first expo. Various types of global promotions are gathering pace in the runup.

The follow-up fair will set up automobile, equipment, quality life, food and agricultural products, and another three exhibition zones. Differing from the first expo, the second will set up a high-end consumer goods area in the luxury zone.

Registration for the second CIIE can be made in two ways. One is for a company itself to sign up for the exhibition, and the other is to participate in groups through overseas organizations. More than 500 firms from 40 countries and regions had enlisted for the fair as early as Jan. 18.

China is the fastest-growing market for luxury consumption and the CIIE, as a major initiative for the country to open its market, will become the best platform for displaying high-end consumer goods, with the exhibition area dedicated to these set to be 10,000 square meters, said Zhou Lingyan, head of the China International Import and Export Bureau's exhibition recruitment office.

Companies from New Zealand rang up great successes in the first expo, and the country's economic development and trade promotion agency New Zealand Trade and Enterprise hopes to strengthen cooperation with Chinese authorities to help more national companies -- above all small and mid-sized enterprises -- access greater opportunities in the Chinese market via the fair, said Mike Arand, China Business Development Advisor of the NZTE.

The China Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand has also registered for an exhibition area of over 1,000 square meters.

Japanese companies have acted early this year for the second expo, especially those who were unable to book booths for last year's first expo, said Michiaki Oguri, president of Japan External Trade Organization's Shanghai branch.

Editor: Ben Armour