Despite the ongoing trade showdown with the US, at next week's second yearly China International Import Expo, more American firms are expected to attend, China's trade officials disclosed late Tuesday.
In the 16 months since the tax battle erupted, bilateral trade between the two economic superpowers has fallen, with many speculating that business decoupling is in the offing.
Nonetheless, Ren Hongbin, China's assistant trade minister, reported that 192 US companies signed up for the state-run event of foreign firms hoping to sell to the domestic market in China, up from 174 last year.
Ren said other nations would submit more participants than the US, but the American display region would be the smallest, meaning the average US exhibitor "will take up more space."
Many US Fortune 500 multinationals will come with their senior executives, demonstrating that the fair is very attractive to US companies, he added, without revealing how many exhibitors from other countries would be present.
Social media giant Facebook, aircraft manufacturer Boeing, technology behemoth Microsoft, and bathroom fixture manufacturer Kohler will be among the American companies, according to the organizers.
The expo will take place in Shanghai from November 5-10, until Chinese leader Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump are expected to ink a "Step 2" trade accord under which China will give the green light to import more US farm produce in return for the US postponement of proposed tax hikes.
After the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Santiago, Chile, the members were tentatively scheduled to meet again by the middle of next month.
According to Chinese government estimates, Chinese firms had negotiated export deals to the tune of over $57.8 billion at last year's annual trade show. A big chunk of those contracts had been negotiated previously, though, with their releases slow in driving up ads for the expo.
Beijing has not set targets for the amount and price of agreements that were concluded during the activity this year.
"This will focus on industry and customer demands; we're just providing a platform and products. We'd best let companies decide, it's better to leave some excitement," Ren emphasized.
The ministry also reported last week, as per the South China Morning Post statement, that Xi would join the second-year show in a row and give the keynote opening speech on November 5.
Ren said France, Greece, Jamaica, and Serbia's representatives have also announced that they will be attending the event.
