Officials and business representatives from countries around the world emphasized their support for multilateralism, calling for cooperation at the ongoing China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), which is being held in South China's Hainan Province from Sunday to Friday.

They also expressed their concerns about protectionism, as the tariff policies imposed by the new US administration on countries globally cast a shadow of uncertainty over world trade.

Speaking via video link at the expo, WTO Deputy Director-General Zhang Xiangchen said we are living in a time of profound transformation, as technological advancements, shifts in industrial structure, and geopolitical volatility are reshaping global supply chains and the landscape of international trade.

History has shown that while protectionism may yield short-term benefits, it ultimately hinders the long-term growth of the global economy, Zhang said, noting that only multilateralism can bring lasting peace and prosperity on a global scale.

Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Denisa Sakova praised China's commitment to multilateralism at the expo.

Sakova told the Global Times that she was present at a meeting at the European Commission a few weeks ago, and "the first point was the discussion about the tariffs imposed by the US toward the European market, and the second point for discussion was the potential of the Chinese market for the EU," which was the biggest discussion they had at the time. She described it as a big potential for European companies to participate in and deliver products to the Chinese market.

Nicholas O'Brien, the Irish ambassador to China, voiced his support for multilateralism amid global headwinds marked by protectionist moves and tariffs. "We're very clear that an open trading system is in all our interests. And that has allowed the Irish economy to grow, the Chinese economy to grow, and economies around the world to grow."

Commenting on the tariffs policies imposed by the new US administration to countries worldwide, Daniel Bont, a senior consultant from Switzerland Global Enterprise, an official Swiss organization for export and investment promotion, told the Global Times at the expo that "what is going on worldwide now is not good for anyone."

"Switzerland is a small country. We are open for business, and we don't have any import taxes except for agriculture. We abolished the industrial import taxes just recently. So, for Switzerland, it's very important to have open and liberal markets without trade barriers," Bont said.

This year's CICPE, which marked its 5th term this year as an international platform, has attracted over 4,100 brands from 71 countries and regions, along with 65 Global Fortune 500 companies and industry leaders — all exceeding the numbers of previous editions.

These government representatives have used this international platform to express their opposition or concern to the tariff policies adopted by the US, firmly advocating for a multilateral system and the rules of global trade, indicating that multilateralism is the common value and stance shared by the wider international communities, Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

"Protectionism erodes the foundation of the global trade order and undermines normal economic cooperation between nations... tariffs and trade protectionism do not produce any winners," said Li, noting that this has become almost a matter of common sense.

At the same time, the active participation of many political and business representatives at this year's expo reflects China's strong support for multilateralism, which stands in sharp contrast to the unilateralism pursued by the US. "China's commitment to openness offers stability, certainty, and predictability for global economic development, all of which are essential for maintaining the multilateral system today," Li further noted.