The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is testimony to China's continued opening-up and the vast opportunities the Chinese market offers to the world, said Standard Chartered Group CEO Bill Winters.

Speaking after the eighth CIIE opened on Wednesday, Winters said, "This year's CIIE also demonstrates China's commitment to continuously promoting international trade and cooperation against the backdrop of rising global trade protectionism."

He highlighted the role that the Chinese market has been playing, as demonstrated by important annual meetings like the CIIE. "China is one of our most important strategic markets and the largest contributor to our group's network revenue. We have actively supported China's opening-up, contributed to its development, and benefited from its growth."

He noted that "every time I visit China, I am struck by the market's constant development and tremendous opportunities. I see enormous potential in China's new economic drivers — especially in fields like advanced chips, robotics, artificial intelligence and clean energy. I am pleased to share that we will be announcing new partnerships and offerings for our clients at CIIE this year."

"At the CIIE, you will see our network in action: we bring international capital into China, help Chinese companies expand globally, and assist Chinese individuals with global asset allocation. We position CIIE as an excellent platform that brings our business strategy, extensive partnerships and market insights to life, and provides great opportunities to engage clients, governments, partners and communities. Eight consecutive years of participation in CIIE has been a very rewarding experience for us," Winters added.