According to Chong Xiaobing, deputy general manager of Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co Ltd, one of the purchasers attending the shopping fair, his company has seen a notable rise in sales of commodities it signed at the past two editions of the CIIE.

Chong expressed expectations for the third CIIE, saying that the company hopes to introduce more imported goods at the third edition to meet consumer demand.

The shopping fair also features a display of Zigong lantern show, a national intangible cultural heritage that originated in Zigong city in Southwest China's Sichuan province thousands of years ago.

On June 6, the China International Import Expo Bureau and the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Shanghai) signed a cooperation deal with the government of Zigong.

According to the deal, the Zigong lantern show will incorporate CIIE elements and develop related cultural products, furthering relevant cooperation.

"We hope that exhibitors from across the globe are able to feel the charm of traditional Chinese culture through admiring the lantern shows during the expo," said Fan Bo, a top official of Zigong city.

In addition to the fair, a photo exhibition characterized by three dimensional and virtual reality technologies is being held online to display memorable moments from the past two editions of the CIIE.