Convention to take Sci-fi fans to infinity and beyond

The 2021 China Science Fiction Convention will be held from Sept 28 to Oct 5 at Beijing's Shougang Industrial Park in Shijingshan district.

The annual Sci-fi extravaganza, the sixth of its kind, will present the latest in wearable technology, as well as online seminars with noted scientists, Sci-fi authors, and movie producers from around the world, organizers said in a press briefing on Tuesday.

This year's convention will also showcase books, games, toys, and a variety of cuisines to allow visitors to experience the wonders of science fiction and China's latest science and technology developments in an immersive way, said Qi Chunli, an official from Shijingshan district.

"Sci-fi has become a new calling card for Shijingshan district," he said, adding that the event will draw the attention of Sci-fi lovers around the world.

Liao Hong, deputy director of the China Research Institute for Science Popularization, which is affiliated with the China Association for Science and Technology, said the rapid development of China's science and technology sectors in recent years has opened a new era of opportunity and development for science fiction in the country.

Liao said the convention will offer an imaginative and interactive experience for Sci-fi lovers and teenagers, kindling their passion for science, exploration and the future.

The opening ceremony will be held at the Shougang No 3 Blast Furnace, a massive ironworks that has been transformed into a modern, Steampunk-esque museum showcasing the industrial park's legacy.

Meng Qinghai, vice president of the China Association for Science and Technology, will host the ceremony, which will include a giant light show and a Sci-fi opera. The event will be streamed online.

Wang Jianxin, an official with the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, said that science fiction is rooted in science and the exploration of truth in the universe.

This year's convention will focus on giving audiences a taste of the future through the latest developments in artificial intelligence, space exploration and wearable technology like bionic exoskeletons, he said.