The 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE), the world's first national-level exhibition dedicated to imports, opened in Shanghai on Thursday, drawing thousands of international companies. Vietnamese vlogger Tiểu Thanh has closely followed the event for the past two years. 

For her, the CIIE is a crucial bridge for overseas businesses to understand Chinese buyers, launch new products, find partners and tap into a market of 1.4 billion people. And goods flow both ways in this vast market, Tiểu Thanh says. China is not only an export powerhouse, but also the world's second-largest importer. 

The Vietnam Enterprise and Trade Promotion Agency is one of the participants looking to expand into the Chinese market and build economic ties between the two countries. 

Tiểu Thanh believes that as the CIIE's scope widens, it will help global firms seamlessly enter China and connect with consumers.