Beijing praises its own ‘import expo’ despite snub from US

Politicians and business executives from about 150 countries have signed up for Shanghai’s international import fair next month, despite the US refusing to send any senior government officials.

Senior Chinese commerce officials told a media briefing in Beijing on Monday that the China International Import Expo had won acclaim and support from most of the world’s major trading nations.

But no state leader or government head from the G7 will be attending, and major trading partners from South Korea to Australia will not be sending heavyweights to the event.