SHANGHAI, July 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 170 overseas companies and 27 institutions have participated in all eight editions of the China International Import Expo (CIIE), according to a Friday press conference held by the expo's organizer.

More than 50 countries and international organizations have confirmed their presence in the comprehensive national exhibition area of this year's expo, with Sweden and the United Arab Emirates serving as guest countries of honor, and with Kyrgyzstan participating for the first time, the expo's organizer has said.

This year, the contracted exhibition area for corporate businesses exceeds 330,000 square meters, the organizer noted.

Notably, the scale of participating enterprises from Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, Peru and other countries has reached a record high, fully reflecting the confidence of all parties in China's economy and their enthusiasm for the CIIE, Wu Zhengping, deputy director general of the CIIE Bureau, said at the press conference.

Wu added that this year's CIIE will for the first time include a special area for products from the least-developed participating countries. It will also include an expanded and upgraded area showcasing African products, as well as a cross-border e-commerce selection platform to help small and medium-sized foreign enterprises enter the Chinese market smoothly.