SHANGHAI -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang pledged to open the country's huge market further to share more growth opportunities with the rest of the world on Tuesday as the seventh edition of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened in Shanghai.

The world's first national-level exposition dedicated to imports has attracted about 3,500 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions this year. Notably, a record high of 297 Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders are attending the six-day expo. And more than 400 new products, new technologies and new services are unveiled.

Experts believe the large scale of the expo highlighted the global companies' confidence in the Chinese market and their commitment to further development in China despite the sluggish global economic recovery.