Global firms mark up expectations of China

Across the world, introducing a brand-new product to the market was once an undoubtedly monumental task.

However, at the China International Import Expo, a major international event held in Shanghai in November each year, the brand growth cycle that used to be measured in years has been fast-tracked into just days.

The trend, experts said, demonstrates the growing confidence of multinational companies in how the expo has evolved over the years into a global platform for foreign trade.

It also shows the high expectations of MNCs that the larger Chinese market will also benefit from the spillover effect to amplify their market presence in China and beyond.

For Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido, the huge spillover effect allows the company to witness how its exhibits turn into commodities and then into bestsellers in the Chinese market, said Toshinobu Umetsu, president and CEO of Shiseido China.

Shiseido debuted many high-end brands including The Ginza, Baum and Effectim at previous CIIEs and these brands were able to quickly enter the China market.

Thanks to the enduring impact of the expo, The Ginza also opened its first exclusive shop in Beijing and a boutique in Shanghai. Both are the first of their kind outside of Japan and duty-free channels.

Umetsu said: "China today is leading the way in the application of innovative technologies, and understanding the latest innovation trends in China is key to capturing future growth opportunities."

Shiseido, which came to China during the early period of the country's reform and opening-up as the first foreign beauty group to enter the Chinese mainland, has been present in the country for over four decades.

"We have never wavered in our confidence and determination to invest in China and will continue to strengthen our long-term investment in the country to provide all the support needed to drive further innovation, growth, and best practices," he added.

Compared to customers in other markets, Chinese consumers are more conscious of their beauty needs and are willing to accept new products, which assures Shiseido of its investments in the market, he added.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged at this year's CIIE to further expand opening-up and turn China's vast market into great opportunities for the world.

If the first CIIE was a one-way invitation from China to the world, then each subsequent edition has become a mutual commitment between China and the world, reflecting the shared aspiration for opening-up and cooperation, the premier said.

Li stressed the need to strengthen consensus on opening-up, adding that all parties should jointly adhere to international economic and trade orders as well as rules. They must also earnestly fulfill multilateral and bilateral economic and trade agreements, he added.

China will further expand institutional opening-up and actively align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, Li said, pledging efforts to implement a strategy for upgrading pilot free trade zones.

Li said the country is willing to open up its enormous market further, including implementing its unilateral opening-up policy and offering zero-tariff treatment for all tariff lines from least developed countries, and effectively turn the huge market into great global opportunities.

The expo's transformative potential has not been lost on German software and cloud giant SAP, which is doubling down on its presence in China.

Michael Locher-Tjoa, SAP's global vice-president and chief business officer for Greater China, said China is one of the "key markets" for SAP, and definitely an important place for the company to strengthen its presence and grow further.

"Many of our multinational customers are doing business in China and a significant number of them in large scale. It reflects what they expect that the growth from the market would be huge," he said.

According to the senior executive, China has been moving fast in many emerging sectors like new energy over the years and has witnessed rising engineering capabilities from various sectors.

"As multinationals further invest and grow their business here, SAP will help them grow and have a more sustainable business going forward," he added.