President Xi Jinping welcomed guests in a keynote speech which stressed both the importance of globalization for the growth of the world economy and China's commitment to further reform and opening-up and to welcoming more imports. Xi revealed some impressive figures – a pledge to import $30 trillion in goods, $10 trillion in services in the next 15 years. This is to be achieved by more favorable policies for foreign companies and indeed the CIIE itself will play a continuing role after being confirmed as a regular annual event. As media reported each day on the expo, it was clear that huge numbers of purchase agreements, including of high value, by State-Owned Enterprises, municipal governments and hospitals alongside private enterprises, were being inked. Despite US-China trade frictions, major American companies were among the nearly 180 from the US.

With an eye on future-focused products and technologies, eco-friendly development, AI, bio-sciences, technology-led health care and other forces that will change society, President Xi promised greater punishments for the infringement of Intellectual Property Rights and encouraged the sharing of innovation for the benefit of mankind.