Nation’s high-tech market to draw spotlight at Shanghai import expo

High-tech products and technology are set to draw the spotlight at China’s upcoming import expo, the first of its kind in the country.

From industrial robots and aviation electronics to machine tools and radiation therapy equipment, overseas firms are rushing to bring their latest technology to the China International Import Expo (CIIE) so they can tap into an expanding market amid economic upgrading.

“We hope the CIIE platform can create more interest from the government, experts and hospitals in cancer treatment and help the industry grow,” said Gong Anming, executive vice president & China CEO of Swedish medical equipment producer Elekta.

At the CIIE, which is scheduled to be held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, two advanced radiation therapy devices developed by Elekta will make their debut in the Chinese market.

In China, Elekta has a manufacturing base, an AsianPacific training center and a global research and development center.

“China is our second-largest market globally, and we believe it will overtake the US to become our biggest market in two or three years,” said Gong.

Overseas companies such as Elekta will display more than 100 new products and technologies at the CIIE, said expo organizers, bringing cuttingedge products and services to the doors of a huge and open market.

High-end and intelligent equipment will occupy one of the CIIE’s biggest exhibition zones, covering 60,000 square meters, according to the CIIE Bureau.

US chip giant Qualcomm will present its frontier technologies in 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet-ofThings (IoT) at the expo. Zhao Bin, senior vice president of Qualcomm, said the company is dedicated to tapping into the Chinese market and values the opportunity of the CIIE.

Wikus from Germany has already applied for participating in the second CIIE. Wang Weide, general manager of Wikus Saw Technology (Shanghai) Co, said the company will bring to the expo a metal band saw blade that can cut harder new materials and is designed for high-end Chinese manufacturers.

“The upgrading of the Chinese manufacturing industry is obvious,” Wang said. “We hope we can find more Chinese clients and partners through the CIIE and share the opportunities in this leading manufacturing equipment market.”

“Expanding imports of hightech products and services can accelerate China’s economic restructuring and upgrading and advance a transition to reliance on technology advantages from reliance on low costs and large quantities,” said Ye Bo, an associate professor at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics.

Increasing high-tech imports can also reduce the country’s trade surplus with the US and Europe, Ye noted.