PUDONG has stepped up efforts to improve its environment and business ambiance for the upcoming import expo.

At a press conference yesterday, officials spoke of their preparations and expectations for the China International Import Expo, to be held from November 5 to 10 in the National Exhibition and Convention Center, Minhang District.

Pudong will play an important role in the trade gala as more than 60 percent of the city’s foreign trade passes through the area, said Liu Fuxue, deputy director of the expo bureau.

With 60 days to go until the start of the expo, Pudong is ready, said Feng Wei, deputy Pudong Party chief. Across the city, there are 30 year-round exhibition and transaction platforms, and 13 of them, in fields including high-end equipment, cars and medical robots, are in Pudong, he added.

The platforms, including cross-border e-commerce sites and exhibition centers, were set up by Shanghai commerce commission to extend the influence of the expo.

Exhibitors and buyers will come from all over the world in search of business opportunities, and six days is just not enough time.

These platforms will provide access to the Chinese market and promote sustainable business cooperation after the expo ends, said Shang Yuying, director of the commerce commission

Eight of the 13 platforms in Pudong are located in the Waigaoqiao bonded area.

They feature three commodity exhibition centers, which display items from Chile, Australia and 16 countries in central and eastern Asia, and five professional trading platforms in smart manufacturing, motor vehicle, liquor, cosmetics and culture.