The China International Import Expo (CIIE) distinguishes itself from conventional trade events by operating as the paramount tool of China's import diplomacy. From a strategic perspective, this platform represents Beijing's unequivocal adherence to multilateralism and free trade, projecting a vision of "prosperity based on balance." 

By focusing on procurement, the CIIE effectively mitigates international concerns regarding trade surpluses, promoting a proactive image of openness and global demand that helps to alleviate geopolitical tensions. Through the reinforcement of its vast "Internal Circulation" (domestic consumption), China guarantees the distribution of market opportunities to developing economies, consolidating its benign influence and enhancing its global soft power.

The role of this platform in the Peruvian trade agenda is of core strategic relevance. The CIIE performs a fundamental catalytic function for export diversification and the formalization of market entry protocols.

The advances in phytosanitary matters—evidenced by the approval obtained for Peru to export fresh bananas and pomegranates to China, as well as the milestone of the first shipment of Amazonian Brazil nuts—demonstrate how the expo converts diplomatic achievements into concrete commercial results. These transactions are monetized into significant projections of business intent, surpassing one hundred million dollars annually, which strengthens Peruvian value-added exports.

This benefit is complemented by the cross-border e-commerce platform implemented at the CIIE. This initiative provides an expedited route or "green channel" that is crucial for optimizing the entry and participation of national small and medium-sized enterprises, ensuring their access to the Chinese market is swift and efficient.

The author is a professor and researcher at the Center for Asian Studies at San Marcos National University 

Copyedited by Garth Wilson