Events

CCPIT Beijing Attended the 18th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation

2023-4-25 10:46:27

The 18th China Expo Forum for International Cooperation (CEFCO 2023) kicked off on April 24 in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. The opening ceremony was attended by Chen Jian’an, Vice Chairman of CCPIT, Zhang Jiasheng, Vice Governor of Zhejiang Province, Michael Duck, President of the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), David DuBois, President of International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), and Senthil Gopinath, CEO of International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA), among others. The event attracted exhibition companies, industry organizations, and government branches from 20 countries and regions, and was joined by over 600 representatives. Guo Huaigang, Chairman of CCPIT Beijing, led a delegation including staff from the capital’s exhibition enterprises and Department of International Exhibition to participate in the forum series activities by invitation.

Themed “Connection and Innovation for a Better Future”, the forum this year aims to explore how institutions and practitioners in the exhibition industry can overcome difficulties and adjust their positioning under the combined impact of factors such as the pandemic, technological innovation, and changes in market demand, in a bid to pinpoint new growth points against such new development pattern. The forum consists of two plenary sessions, eight parallel sessions, and multiple themed activities. The topics mainly revolve around “strengthening opening up and cooperation of the international exhibition industry to maintain the security and stability of the global industrial chain” and “shaking off the gloom of the epidemic to create a better future of MICE”. During the event, CCPIT released Annual Report on China’s Exhibition Economy (2022).

During the activity, CCPIT Beijing’s delegation had in-depth exchanges with domestic and foreign exhibition industry associations and enterprise representatives, promoting the development environment and advantages of Beijing’s exhibition industry, and recommending events such as the 16th China-LAC Business Summit, Exhibition of ZGC Forum (also known as China Beijing International High-tech Expo, CHITECH), and China International Fair for Trade in Services. The delegation invited international organizations, corporates, and institutions to visit exhibitions and conferences in Beijing, while also conducting research on the current development status and trends of the domestic and international exhibition industry, as well as the experiences and practices of local trade promotion councils in promoting the development of the exhibition industry. Furthermore, the delegation held discussions with four major international exhibition organizations to explore opportunities for cooperation.

CEFCO is jointly organized by CCPIT, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI), the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Society of Independent Show Organizers (SISO), and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA). Upholding the concept of “opening-up, cooperation, and win-win”, the forum is committed to building a practical platform for communication and cooperation in the exhibition industry between China and foreign countries, and creating an annual grand gathering for the Chinese exhibition industry. It has now boasted one of the world’s top three professional exhibition forums.