China's top tech fair opens to global spotlight

The 27th China Hi-Tech Fair opens today at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao'an District. Photos by Shenzhen Special Zone Daily unless otherwise stated

Just hours after opening its doors at 9 a.m., the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) is already surging with energy. Held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao'an District, the event is China’s largest and most influential showcase of high-tech achievements.

With the official theme “Empowering industry through technology, creating the future through integration,” the fair has transformed more than 400,000 square meters of exhibition space into a walkable “city of the future,” featuring over 5,000 leading-edge innovations across sectors from aerospace to robotics.

A gateway to China’s innovation landscape

Visitors crowd the exhibition halls shortly after the 27th China Hi-Tech Fair opens today in Bao’an.

Widely regarded as China’s No. 1 technology exhibition, CHTF serves as a key platform for science and technology exchange, product demonstration, investment matchmaking, and global cooperation. It is a core component of China’s national innovation system and a key window for international collaboration in high-tech fields.

This year’s edition is hosted by the Shenzhen Municipal Government and focuses on global technology trends, China’s latest innovation breakthroughs, and Shenzhen’s signature “20+8” industrial clusters.

A total of 22 themed exhibition zones have been curated — including areas dedicated to strategic equipment, artificial intelligence and robotics, semiconductors and integrated circuits, and low-altitude economy and commercial aerospace — offering a panoramic view of cutting-edge technologies and real-world applications.

Crowds drawn to Strategic National Technologies Zone

Crowds gather at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp. booth for an up-close look at the Long March rocket models during the fair.

As the exhibition opened, large crowds quickly gathered at Hall 9, home to the Strategic National Technologies Zone.

A commanding display of Long March rocket models, presented by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, drew early attention as visitors paused to photograph the symbolic rockets up close.

Not far away, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) showcased a scale model of “Hai Kui One,” described as Asia’s first cylindrical Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO).

“It weighs about 37,000 tons,” said CNOOC representative Zuo Lijun. “Its main deck covers the area of 13 standard basketball courts, and its height is comparable to a 30-story building.”

The figures stunned onlookers, many of whom crowded in for a closer look and photographs.

Domestic AI ecosystem takes the spotlight

Visitors explore the AI exhibition zone hosted by Guangming Laboratory in collaboration with its ecosystem partners.

In the artificial intelligence exhibition area, Guangming Laboratory, in partnership with Huawei and its ecosystem allies, unveiled a dedicated zone for the domestic AI ecosystem built on the Ascend platform.

The display features the 384-node cluster’s Shenzhen debut, showcasing the computational power of Ascend’s hardware. Alongside that, a broad set of applications built on the CANN architecture highlight China’s open-source progress in AI.

The showcase also includes scenario-based application demos from ecosystem partners and real-time technical sharing, underscoring the strength and diversity of China’s AI capabilities.

A global roster with industry leaders and top institutions

Tsinghua University presents its latest scientific research and early-stage innovations at this year’s China Hi-Tech Fair. Courtesy of CHTF

CHTF 2025 has attracted participation from more than 100 countries and regions, bringing together international organizations, globally recognized companies, and top industry experts.

Over 40 central and State-owned enterprises, including China Southern Power Grid and China Rare Earth Group, are displaying key national innovations.

Leading private-sector firms such as HONOR, Insta360, and XDS are unveiling new technological breakthroughs and products.

More than 30 universities and research institutions, including Tsinghua University and Peking University, are presenting their latest scientific research and early-stage technologies.

Special exhibition zones for international sister cities and Belt and Road cooperation feature innovations from Asia, Europe, and the Americas — highlighting the fair’s global reach and collaborative spirit.

Connecting innovation with capital and commerce

The three-day fair includes a series of flagship events such as the Global Sourcing Matchmaking Conference and the Investment and Financing Docking Event, expected to attract over 30,000 professional buyers and more than 1,000 procurement delegations.

More notably, more than 3,000 investment institutions — including Morgan Stanley, Sequoia Capital, and the Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund — have been invited to participate. These events aim to build a full-cycle ecosystem connecting project showcases, capital investment, and incubation, accelerating the commercialization of innovation.