High-tech expo gets underway

The 18th China Beijing International High-Tech Expo started on Wednesday. This year's event echoes the country's Belt and Road Initiative and the national strategy of synergetic development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.

The six-day event presents the latest innovations and developments in the cultural technological industries as well as the financing sector for the high-tech industry.

The expo was also expected to feature intelligent products for everyday life from China's silicon valley-Zhongguancun Science Park.

The high-tech expo has welcomed more than 4.75 million participants since it started in 1998.

A total of 4,857 scientists, economists, Nobel Prize winners, leaders from the world's top 500 companies and government officials stepped onto the stage at previous events to present speeches.

Deals worth 672.9 billion yuan ($108.5 billion) have been made in the expo's history.

The expo's opening ceremony was held on Wednesday in the National Political Consultative Conference assembly hall.

From Thursday until Monday, a series of exhibitions, trade meetings and seminars are being held in the Chinese International Exhibition Center.

The theme of this year's event is technological innovation and industrial development.

This expo has 11 specialized display areas. As well as traditional sectors seen at previous expos, this year's event also has one for automotive technology.

It also has seven themed forums on hot topics like finance, the national energy strategy and emerging industries.

Highlights

The expo will showcase several self-developed innovative products. The China National Nuclear Corp brings its third-generation nuclear power brand Hualong No 1.

China Electronics Technology Corp is showcasing its latest and most advanced information security system.

Cross-over technologies in the Internet industry has become a new highlight at the event.

Alibaba Group, which is participating in the expo for the first time, is displaying its latest Internet technologies to help visitors experience the trend of future technology and life.

China Electronics Technology Corp is showing its intelligent watch and glasses as well as other products in information security and mobile healthcare.

The expo also brings scientific parks from across the country together to forge deals and new projects.

Projects from Jiangsu, Hebei, and Shanxi provinces and Tianjin will be presented during the expo. Zhongguancun Science Park has participated in the expo for 18 consecutive years. The park's exhibition this year is themed "leading high-tech and creating a technologic future" and features products including unmanned aerial vehicles, intellectual monitoring systems and artificial corneas.

Beijing's Technology Commission has organized a news conference to display representative technologic achievements in recycling economy, cultural technology and cultural trades.

This expo also focuses on people's livelihoods by displaying products that make people's lives more convenient and intelligent. These products are from various fields including transportation, healthcare, entertainment and new materials.

There is also a specialized exhibition area for automobiles, mainly about pure electric vehicles, car networking technology, lighter vehicle body materials and new engine technologies.

Beijing based BAIC Motor Corp has brought a full line-up, including its latest products displayed at this year's Shanghai auto show held in late April and early May. The expo also encourages diversified innovations. The All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese brings 30 innovative enterprises founded by returned overseas Chinese to the expo. Zhongguancun Science Park is also displaying several high-tech enterprises that were established by young people born in the 1990s.

Statistics show that more than 80 percent of the founders of enterprises participating in the event were born in the 1980s. The expo aims to build international exchange platforms to promote projects.

Delegations from five international organizations including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Capital Market Association, Institute of International Finance, International Chamber of Commerce and World Trade Center Association are participating in the expo.

Delegations from 19 countries and regions are also present.

More than 20 Chinese cities sent delegations to the expo to showcase their innovations in regional cooperation.

More than 1,600 high-tech enterprises, colleges, research institutes and economic development areas from both home and overseas are also taking part.

xuxiao@chinadaily.com.cn