The third China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), billed as the largest high-end consumer exhibition in the Asia Pacific, concluded in Haikou City, the capital of China's southernmost province of Hainan on Saturday with a larger attendance and more impressive deals logged than its previous sessions.

This year's CICPE, also called the Hainan Expo, is the first major international exhibition China has held since the easing of COVID-19 cases and restrictive measures.

It has defined the guiding direction of 2023 as a "year of consumption" which aims to lead consumption upgrading with product innovation and boost consumer confidence with improved supplies, according to the CICPE.

More than 320,000 visitors and a total of 3,382 brands from 65 countries and regions participated in the expo, according to data revealed by the CICPE on Saturday.

Specifically, 2,226 brands took to the stage at the international exhibition area, while 1,156 brands made their appearances at the domestic exhibition area.

The number of participating brands increased by 19 percent compared with the second edition of the event.

Over 50,000 buyers and professional visitors from 35 countries and regions were in attendance, an increase of 25 percent from last year, Huang Cui, deputy director general of the Hainan Bureau of International Economic Development, told the CMG.

"This shows a trend of increasing influence and internationalization of the expo, which presented boutique brands worldwide with broad business prospects and a chance for global markets to leapfrog their entry into the Chinese market," said Huang.

Meanwhile, a yacht show was held in Haikou in conjunction with the expo, attracting 225 vessels made by domestic and foreign shipyards.

The first batch of 29 organizations from the fashion, travel, health products, jewelry, and services sectors have signed up for next year's CICPE.

Thursday marked the fifth anniversary of China's announcement to support Hainan into a free trade port and developing the whole island into a pilot free trade zone.

The hugely ambitious CICPE offers an important opportunity for international exhibitors and visitors to gain a deeper understanding of Hainan's Free Trade Port policy.

The Hainan Expo is the beginning of a slew of trade expos this year that dovetail China's unswerving commitment to opening up, including the Canton Fair in south China's Guangdong Province starting from Saturday.