SHANGHAI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- More than 1,700 companies from all over the world have applied to attend the China International Import Expo (CIIE) which will be held in Shanghai in November.

Over 900 applicants have signed contracts for the expo, which will cover more than 157,000 square meters. Among them, 34 percent of enterprises are from the Belt and Road countries and regions.

"CIIE shows China's determination of opening-up and is set to be a launch place for the newest products," said Sun Chenghai, deputy director of the CIIE Bureau.

With the expo 200 days away, Sun said that the bureau was creating a more welcoming environment for participants. With the help of big-data and cloud services, participants will be able to discover the expo in more convenient ways.

"CIIE shows that China is safeguarding free trade not only through words, but through deeds," said Yang Jianrong, director of the Council for the Promotion of International Trade Shanghai. "Shanghai had taken actions to help enterprises, especially small and medium-sized businesses from developing countries, to have an easier access to Chinese market."