International technology fair the biggest yet

The 8th China (Shanghai) International Technology Fair, bo be held from April 15 to 17 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convetion Center, will promote trade in cutting-edge technologies and focus on digital transformation.

This year’s fair has attracted over a thousand enterprises as exhibitors, the largest number yet.

There will be five major sections — sci-tech innovation, urban renewal, professional technology, innovation ecosystem and trading services.

The trading services area will have institutions such as the Shanghai Intellectual Property Service Center and Shanghai Talent Service Industry Association to answer inquiries on technical achievements and offer intellectual property consultation and other services.

The sci-tech innovation area will have zones for hot topics or groups including the Yangtze River Delta region, the Lingang special area of the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the construction of a sci-tech innovation center, technology transfer, private enterprises, overseas Chinese businesses, and universities. 

The aim is to display forward-looking and leading technological achievements and scientific research projects, and to facilitate their application and transformation, according to Zhou Lan, deputy director of the organizing committee.

“We will also establish a cooperative working mechanism linking the fair and the STAR Market, and improve the incubation ecosystem for technology innovation enterprises,” Zhou said. 

The Lingang zone will focus on displaying the area’s latest achievements in science and innovation with the aim of increasing its international influence.

New projects will be launched during the fair — 95 from 86 institutions — related to the Yangtze River Delta, digital economy, sci-tech innovation, technological expertise and international technology projects. 

The fair will be presented both online and offline, allowing overseas exhibitors to show their projects via cloud platforms.

The fair in 2019 attracted 916 well-known technological enterprises and trading service organizations from 16 countries and regions. There were some 58,200 visitors, 81.5 percent of whom were professionals.