The Eighth China Hi-tech Fair will be held from October 12 to 17 in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, Xu Zongheng, chairman of the organizing committee of the fair and mayor of Shenzhen, announced at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday.

 

 

This year's fair is jointly sponsored by nine government departments and Shenzhen municipal government.

 

The annual event has become the most influential of its kind in China. It presents a significant platform for China's high and new technology sector, and plays an increasingly important role in facilitating the commercialization, industrialization and internationalization of domestic technological innovations.

 

Covering an area of 105,000 square meters, this year's event will comprise six major features, namely, "Commercialization of Technology Innovations," "Specialized Shows", "World Technology and Economy Forum", "super-SUPER Special Activities", "High and New Technology Talent and Intelligence Exchange" and "A Year-round Fair".

 

Earlier this year, China held the Fourth National Conference on Science and Technology, during which goals were set to embark on a new path of innovation with Chinese characteristics and build an innovation-oriented country.

 

"This will propel our high-tech industry into a brand new stage of development, a whole new level," Xu said.

 

An interesting feature for this year's fair is a new exhibition area that will showcase patented inventions and innovative but “not-commonly-recognized" projects done by ordinary citizens.

 

Another major theme in this year's fair is the development of a "circular economy". Xu explained that a special exhibition area will be set up to highlight innovations that focus on saving resources and protecting the environment.

 

Other highlights of the fair include intellectual property rights protection presentations and specialized exhibitions of IT, Opto-FPD and electronic products.

 

Organizers have indicated that internationally renowned enterprises, foreign ministers, CEOs of multinational companies and senior officials from investment institutes will be invited to participate.

 

Xu said that this year's event will serve as a springboard for the “go-out” policy for Chinese enterprises, and a platform for the introduction of foreign capital and advanced technology.

 

(China.org.cn by staff reporter Yuan Fang, April 5, 2006)