CIIE: Another example of trade taking precedence over politics

The world's biggest import fair the sixth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai from November 5 to 10 is timely, refreshing and welcome good news for global economic recovery and peace.

The CIIE and the parallel Hongqiao International Economic Forum promote global economic development, stability and harmony via increased trade, with the world's second-biggest economy China audaciously opening up to welcome imports from all countries.

Apart from signifying China's unmistakable commitment to high-level opening-up, reforms, globalization and the goal of common prosperity, the CIIE promotes peace by facilitating more international interactions, economic interdependence and goodwill among nations.

Articulated by German philosopher Immanuel Kant, Nobel Peace Prize-winning British author Norman Angell and Austrian political economist Joseph Schumpeter, the "liberal peace" view with which I agree underscored that promoting mutual economic interdependence and robust trade can enhance peace among nations. Indeed, more trade and less decoupling should be vigorously promoted in order to champion global peace and development.

The CIIE exemplifies the ideals of progressive, win-win free trade and forward-looking globalization, which opens opportunities for increased international exchanges, dialogues, genuine healthy competition and cooperation.

Despite recent news on some territorial disagreements between China and the Philippines, the over 1,000-year history of uninterrupted, mutually beneficial bilateral trade has again this year brought back the Philippines to the CIIE at the gigantic National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. It's believed that the traditional amity and common geo-economic interests of both trade partners shall help the two countries overcome any misunderstandings.

Filipino private companies and national government agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry and Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions shall showcase Philippine-made food products and Filipino food culture under the theme "FOODPhilippines: Share the Love for Filipino Flavors" in the Philippine Pavilion.

For all participating countries and organizations, the CIIE is a golden opportunity and unparalleled platform to market each of our countries, our diverse exports and even our tourism attractions to the vast Chinese market. It is also our chance to learn what the rest of the world is exporting.

Apart from the increasingly affluent Chinese consumers, guests from 154 countries, regions and international organizations attend and visit over 3,400 exhibitors at the CIIE. 410,000 professional visitors have already registered.

One example of the numerous products at the CIIE shall be Southeast Asia's "king of fruits" the durian, which the Philippine Pavilion will showcase. Southern Philippines' traders and farmers introduced that the durian supply couldn't satisfy the huge demand. China has imported 787,000 metric tons of durian worth $3.83 billion from January to June 2023.

HSBC reported that global demand for durians "soared 400 percent" due mainly to the popularity of this fruit in China, which was the world's biggest importer and consumer of durians last year. CNBC reported that sharing durians as exotic and high-level gifts has come to showcase the givers' wealth in China. Durian is just one of the golden opportunities at the CIIE for ASEAN countries.

Another significance of this year's CIIE is that it resumed offline country exhibition (the first complete return to in-person exhibitions since the COVID-19 pandemic) and 3,000 global companies are participating this year. Expectations are high that this CIIE shall be a catalyst to boost Asia's post-pandemic economic recovery momentum as well as further strengthen China's continuous, high-tech and green or ecological economic opening-up and modernization.

Significantly for the first time since the CIIE started in 2018, the U.S. is also making its first official participation led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the American Chamber of Commerce in the event. Both of them shall co-host the American Food and Agriculture Pavilion, which newspapers like China Daily reported "shows agriculture trade is a ballast" and Global Times described as "the latest sign of improving ties." This is another example of how trade can positively overcome political or geopolitical differences.

Congratulations to China for hosting the much-awaited annual CIIE, which celebrates and reaffirms a positive, optimistic outlook of global trade, economic development, peace and the goal of common prosperity.

(The writer Wilson Lee Flores, a special commentator for CGTN, is a moderator of the Pandesal Forum, multi-awarded writer, columnist for "Philippine Star" newspaper, economics and politics analyst.)