CIIE 2026 in Shanghai (5–10 November): Guide for Foreign Business Visitors

Last checked: 2026-11-05. Rules change; always confirm with the official source before you travel.

If you want to sell into China rather than buy from it, the most useful week of the year is about to start. The 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) runs from 5 to 10 November 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), and the organisers say it will have 4,142 overseas exhibitors and the largest exhibition area in its history. Here is what foreign business visitors need to know, and how to make the trip worth the flight.

CIIE vs Canton Fair: which one is for you?

The dates almost touch this year: Canton Fair Phase 3 ends on 4 November and CIIE opens on 5 November, so a buyer who also sells into China could do both in one trip. See our Canton Fair autumn 2026 guide for the Guangzhou side.

What is at the expo

• Country Pavilion: national displays, often with trade promotion agencies that can introduce you to Chinese buyers.
• Corporate (business) exhibition: halls grouped by sector, typically including food and agricultural products, consumer goods, medical devices and healthcare, automobiles, intelligent industry and technology, and trade in services.
• Hongqiao International Economic Forum: the conference programme held alongside the expo.
• Many provinces and large Chinese buyers send purchasing delegations, and signing ceremonies take place throughout the week.

Registration types

• Exhibitors register through the organiser well in advance; this route is closed for 2026.
• Professional visitors register through a company, organisation or trade delegation via the "Business Exhibition" section of the official website. This is the route to use if you need an invitation letter for a visa: the official guidance says invitation letters are only available through the institutional (professional) visitor channel.
• Individual visitors (for people not registering with an organisation) could attend on 8, 9 or 10 November, with limited daily quotas, a 50-yuan service fee per person per day and a minimum age of 14. Badges are couriered free of charge, but only to an address in the Chinese mainland, so foreign visitors need a hotel, office or contact address in China. Fees are not refundable once a badge is approved.

Payment for individual badges could be made by QR code (Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay) or, on a computer, with Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, UnionPay, Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Entering China for the expo

• 30-day visa-free entry: ordinary passport holders from the countries on China's unilateral exemption list (most of Europe, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and others) can enter for business visits of up to 30 days until 31 December 2026. Visiting a trade fair and meeting partners are short-term business activities; paid work is not. See our visa-free guide.
• 240-hour visa-free transit: nationals of 57 countries, including the United States, can stay up to 10 days when travelling on to a third country or region with a confirmed onward ticket. Shanghai's Pudong and Hongqiao airports are designated ports. A route such as New York–Shanghai–Tokyo can qualify; a round trip back to the US cannot.
• Port visas for invited participants: Shanghai has said that invited foreign exhibitors and buyers can apply for a port visa fully online this year, with a fast-track service for invited participants in the Hongqiao business zone. Ask your inviting organisation about this if your passport is not visa-exempt.

Getting to the venue

• The National Exhibition and Convention Center (国家会展中心, Guójiā Huìzhǎn Zhōngxīn) is in western Shanghai, next to the Hongqiao transport hub: Hongqiao International Airport and Shanghai Hongqiao railway station, the terminus for high-speed trains from Beijing.
• Metro Line 2 serves the venue at Xujingdong station. Pay with the Alipay or WeChat transport QR code, so set up mobile payments before you fly.
• The complex is huge. The official CIIE app and mini program include an indoor navigation assistant for finding halls and floors; download it before your first day.
• Expect security checks and queues at opening time on the first days, and allow extra time.

Hotels and getting around Shanghai

Hotels in the Hongqiao area are closest and fill up quickly during expo week; staying along Metro Line 2 (for example near Jing'an or People's Square) gives you an easy commute and evenings in the city centre. You check in with your original passport; see hotels in China for foreigners. For mobile data, sort out roaming or a travel eSIM before you arrive (eSIM and internet guide), and install DiDi, a translator and WeChat, which almost every Chinese contact will ask to add (essential apps).

Shopping and tax refunds

Shanghai ran an on-site "refund upon purchase" point at last year's expo. China's upgraded departure tax refund rules took effect on 1 July 2026, with paperless processing, so if you buy goods at participating shops during your trip, keep your passport and receipts and ask about the refund at the time of purchase. Our tax refund guide explains the 200 yuan minimum and the 28-day window.

How to make the week pay off

• Book meetings before you fly. Contact your country's trade promotion agency or chamber of commerce in China; many organise matchmaking with Chinese buyers during the expo.
• Bring bilingual material. A one-page product sheet and business cards with Chinese on the reverse make a strong first impression. See our Chinese business etiquette guide for meetings and dinners.
• Be ready on WeChat. Most follow-ups happen there. Add contacts on the spot and send a short message with your name, company and a photo from the meeting the same evening.
• Ask the right questions of potential distributors: which cities and channels they cover, import licences and registrations they hold for your category, how they handle cross-border e-commerce versus general trade, and who pays for marketing.

After the expo: factories and partners in North China

Many visitors add a few days to see suppliers or partners elsewhere. Beijing is about four and a half hours from Shanghai Hongqiao by the fastest high-speed trains, and Shanxi is a short train ride beyond Beijing. If you want to meet manufacturers or potential partners in Shanxi or North China, our local team can arrange the business reception: meetings, interpreting, factory visits, transport and a written English report. Use our factory visit guide to prepare.

FAQ

When is CIIE 2026?

The 9th China International Import Expo runs from 5 to 10 November 2026 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai). Individual visitors could attend on 8, 9 or 10 November.

Can foreigners visit the CIIE?

Yes. Foreign nationals can register as individual visitors (registration closed on 20 October 2026) or as professional visitors through a company or organisation. Invitation letters for visas are only available through the professional (institutional) visitor channel.

How do I get to the CIIE venue?

Take Shanghai Metro Line 2 to Xujingdong station. The venue is next to the Hongqiao transport hub, which includes Hongqiao airport and Shanghai Hongqiao railway station.

Official sources

• China International Import Expo (official website)
• Shanghai Government: 9th CIIE registration for individual visitors
• NIA: Unilateral visa-exemption country list
• NIA: 240-hour visa-free transit policy