Themed "Opening Up Drives Global Consumption, Innovation Empowers A Better Life," the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) kicked off in Haikou, capital of Hainan province in south China, on April 13 for a six-day run through April 18.

With "new, exotic, unique and cool" as its distinctive feature, the expo houses eight exhibition halls.

A key showcase for the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) following the full launch of its island-wide special customs operations in December 2025, the sixth CICPE has drawn more than 3,400 brands from over 60 countries and regions worldwide. Its total exhibition area is 143,000 square meters, up 13,000 square meters on the previous edition.

International exhibits take up 65 percent of the total floor space, a 20-percentage-point jump from the last event. More than 200 new products are making their global debut, doubling the previous edition's figure, covering sectors from healthcare and jewelry to digital technology.

Smart products unlock new experiences

With cutting-edge technologies making their way from the laboratory to daily life, there is a wide range of new products, spanning categories from daily wearables to health and wellness.

AI glasses brand VITURE showcased its Beast XR glasses. "The screen stays perfectly locked in place. It doesn't shift at all when I turn my head, and it even supports split-screen operation for work," a visitor said after trying on the glasses.

Rokid has debuted the world's lightest mass-produced AI+AR glasses at the expo. Weighing in at just 49 grams, the headset is powered by the Qualcomm AR1 chip, paired with diffractive optical waveguide and micro-LED technology. It supports full-scene use cases, including glance-to-pay payments and real-time captioning for the hearing impaired.

The world's first land-air amphibious split-type flying car also made its debut, bringing the sci-fi vision of hailing an air taxi for daily work commutes to life.

Numerous life-focused embodied AI products are attracting large crowds of visitors for hands-on trials at the expo. Smart products ranging from child-accompanying AI devices to pet health monitors have also impressed visitors.

Global brands flocking to China

Exhibitors expressed strong optimism about China's consumer market. They called the expo a high-efficiency platform connecting the Chinese market to global buyers. Hainan, backed by its FTP privileges, was a key gateway for brands to deepen their footprint in the world's second-largest economy.

The CICPE continues to drive the industry's shift from product innovation to ecosystem co-construction, and serves as a new bridge for global opening-up and cooperation.

"The Chinese market is vital to us, and the Hainan FTP is a critical gateway for bringing our products and innovations to Chinese consumers," said Thomas McDonald, global CEO of New Zealand-based Spring Sheep Milk Co. "We aim to lift our brand profile at this year's CICPE, and bring the natural nutrition of our grass-fed dairy to more Chinese families."

"The development of the Hainan FTP creates exciting opportunities for international brands to connect more closely with Chinese consumers through duty-free retail and cross-border channels," said Daniel Wermelinger, director of the Consumer Health Business Unit at Swiss brand Doetsch Grether. "For us, participating in this expo is not only about presenting our brand, but also about building long-term partnerships and understanding the needs of Chinese consumers. We are very optimistic about the future of the Chinese market and look forward to growing together with our partners here."