China's import expo: shifting demand as Beijing buys more but competition tightens
China's imports rose 23.6 per cent in the first 10 months of 2026, outpacing export growth, but foreign suppliers face a tougher sell as domestic brands close the gap. At the China International Import Expo in Shanghai, exhibitors from 148 countries showcased fruit, honey, cosmetics and machinery, r
The ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE), held in Shanghai from Nov 5 to 10, drew a record 4,142 overseas companies from 148 countries and regions, with more than 2,000 businesses exhibiting for the first time. Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang said at the opening ceremony that the country had never "deliberately pursued a trade surplus" and would import more quality goods and services.
Customs data released on Nov 10 showed China's imports rising 23.6 per cent in the first 10 months of 2026, outpacing export growth of 17.6 per cent. Yet its goods trade surplus still surpassed US$1 trillion, around 8 per cent more than the same period last year.
At Goodfarmer Fruit Group's stand, deputy general manager Wu Ying said demand for imported tropical fruit remains strong because much of China's climate is unsuitable for large-scale production of bananas and pineapples. Goodfarmer's fruit business has grown by more than 20 per cent this year, with products sold in about 55,000 stores across China. Its latest addition, bananas from Peru, took just five months to gain entry into the country and are expected to reach stores around Chinese New Year, Wu said.
New Zealand-based Comvita has carved out a niche for its premium manuka honey among quality-minded consumers in major Chinese cities. Chief executive Karl Gradon said Chinese buyers are seeking honey with clear origin, scientifically studied properties and independently verified quality, even though China produces more honey than any other country, accounting for around a quarter of the world's total. "The premium has to be earned through the product and the confidence behind it," Gradon said.
Cameron Johnson, senior partner at Shanghai consultancy Tidalwave Solutions, said the market for foreign goods is not shrinking but shifting. At CIIE, imported food, medical devices and certain technology held the most appeal for Chinese buyers, he said. Johnson noted that China now produces much of the machinery, chemicals, speciality materials and components it once bought, affecting suppliers from Japan, South Korea, Germany and the United States. "When you ask suppliers why (they are) using more Chinese machinery now, they say it does 80 per cent of the work, for 20 per cent of the cost," Johnson said.
For European businesses, the top challenge is China's economic slowdown, followed by price wars with local competitors, said Carlo D'Andrea, vice president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. He also said 54 per cent of its members reported losing business because of market access barriers, particularly in information and communications technology, where foreign-invested firms held more than 70 per cent of China's market during the 2G era compared with 3 per cent in the current 5G era.
Cao Hailun, general manager of Shanghai Bailian Group Co, a listed retailer with more than 40 member companies, said international high-end brands are still holding their ground in skincare, and Bailian is buying more of them every year. But mid- and low-priced brands are losing out to domestic Chinese ones, he said, adding that sports brands that have "stuck rigidly to their original style" are fast losing market share. Cao cited an Adidas jacket with traditional Chinese-style knot buttons, first sold exclusively in China, as an example of successful localisation.
