Cutting-edge technology at import and export fair

The three-day 2025 International Technology Import and Export Fair will open on June 11 at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, featuring products and technologies with a strong focus on cutting-edge innovation.

Fourteen enterprises and institutions will introduce their products and technologies at this year's fair, of which seven will be making their global or national premieres in sectors such as energy storage, smart wearables, and digital retail, according to Zhu Min, director of the Shanghai Commission of Commerce.

"Since its inception in 2013, the fair has attracted over 9,500 enterprises from more than 30 countries and regions, and this year it will continue to serve as a vital platform for showcasing innovative technologies," said Zhu.

Under the theme "Open Cooperation: Empowering New Productive Forces and Sustainable Development," this year's fair will span 35,000 square meters which will include, in addition to the main exhibition areas, zones focusing on commercial cryptography and intelligent manufacturing, green energy, storage and transportation, intelligent marine engineering and equipment, and consumer and commercial technology. Two areas will be dedicated to technology trade services and promotion activities.

The fair will bring together innovative achievements from nearly 20 countries and regions around the world, as well as close to 20 provinces and municipalities across China, with almost a thousand participating enterprises, while Glasgow will be one of two major guest cities to promote their new technologies.

"One highlight is that 180 high-tech enterprises will join us to present a wide array of AI-fused cross-industry solutions, including AI multimodal brain-computer interface platforms, super bionic sports robots, AI trendy play robots, AI drones, and large AI models applied in e-commerce," said Zhu.

In addition, a range of global frontier technologies will also be on display, such as China's first polar fixed-wing aircraft, featuring the world's only technology capable of safe flight in harsh Antarctic conditions.

Another will be the global premiere of "lunar soil to fiber" technology and equipment, which is capable of transforming lunar soil into high-performance fiber materials.

The fair will also serve as a communication platform. The Glasgow Guest City Theme Day will feature a China-UK technology project promotion conference, with Glasgow having organized 18 local enterprises in shipbuilding and marine technology, smart building sensors, and wearable devices to participate.

Enterprises from Spain, France, and the US will showcase a range of projects, encompassing green energy, maritime services, and sustainable new materials hoping to find new markets in China.

"Prior to the exhibition, we've collected 186 technology supplies and 68 technology demands, resulting in 154 matched outcomes through pre-matching," said Zhou Lan, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce. "A free negotiation area will be set up on-site, and nearly 50 specialized matchmaking events will be held."

The popularity of the fair is an epitome of the robust growth of technology trade in Shanghai. The value of technology import and export contracts has been growing at an average annual rate of 8.6 percent since 2021. Last year, the figure reached a record US$21.33 billion, a significant year-on-year increase of nearly 18 percent, positioning Shanghai at the forefront in the country.