From May 26 to 30, the 2023 Exhibition of ZGC Forum, also known as China Beijing International High-tech Expo (CHITEC), will be held at the Zhongguancun Exhibition Center and in the temporary exhibition hall on the west side of Haidian Gongyuan Road.
This year’s Exhibition will consist of various zones focusing on cutting-edge technologies and future industries, the digital economy, regional innovation, pharmaceuticals and health, and green and low-carbon development. Alongside the Exhibition, eight promotional and exchange events will take place, including “Data Intelligence: Reshaping the Future”, “Specialized and Sophisticated Enterprises and Capital Markets”, and “ChatGPT and Frontier AI Technology”, among others.
Highlights of previous CHITECs
CHITEC has gone through four stages, i.e. initial exploration (1st to 3rd session), rapid growth (4th to 8th session), steady progress (9th to 15th session), and innovation-driven development (16th to present). To date, it has developed a “five-in-one” structure that integrates comprehensive activities, exhibitions and presentations, promotions and trade, forums and conventions, and online showcase. CHITEC serves as a pool of inspiration for China’s technological industries, a debut platform for innovative technologies and products, and the primary source of authoritative policy information. Its profound impact has left an indelible mark on the domestic technological scene, facilitating its journey from reliance on imports to self-sufficiency, continuous improvement, and international prominence.
The 17th CHITEC, held in 2014 under the theme of “Innovation-driven, Integrated Development”, underscored the socioeconomic relevance of technological innovation by providing the latest technological breakthroughs, disseminating cutting-edge concepts and ideas, and fostering international economic and technological cooperation. Numerous core technologies with independent intellectual property made a prominent return, while the State Oceanic Administration reinstated its marine technology exhibition after a one-year hiatus. Additionally, the 17th CHITEC debuted a zone focusing on the capital city’s achievements in cultural integration. The Exhibition’s highlights included a range of hi-tech products that directly impact people’s lives, including smart wearables, big data-based all-in-one devices, 3D printing innovation and experiment platform, and remote health service system for household.
In 2015, the 18th CHITEC highlighted new heights of Chinese innovation, intelligent manufacturing, high technology, “Internet +”, and new economic normal. Slogans seen everywhere during the CHITEC included “newly established”, “high growth”, “the first in China”, “fill the gap”, and “intellectual property of the Chinese people”. As a weather vane of China’s industrial development, the 18th CHITEC, themed “Promoting Scientific and Technological Innovation for Industrial Development”, unveiled the prevailing trend of digitized, intelligent, decentralized, service-oriented, and personalized manufacturing.
In 2016, the 19th CHITEC adopted the theme “Promoting Scientific and Technological Innovation to Drive Industrial Transformation”. Visitors were immediately struck by AI technologies and products when they stepped in. From the world’s first mass-produced all-in-one VR device to naked-eye 3D light shows, drones, eye-tracking devices, and VR eye-tracking modules, all the items served as compelling evidence of our entry into the era of intelligence.
In 2017, CHITEC celebrated its 20th anniversary. Aligned with the new development philosophy, this edition embraced the theme “Technology Leads Integrated Innovation”. Featuring AI and big data technologies, the Long March rocket family, China Space Station, smart cities and smart living, the event testified to the new heights of China’s technological innovation and underscored the vast possibilities of technology-driven green development.
In 2018, the 21st CHITEC was centered round the theme “Taking the Lead in Hi-Tech Industries and Facilitating the Development of S&T Innovation Centers”. Seizing the historic opportunities presented by the 4th Industrial Revolution, the event showcased China’s latest breakthroughs in integrated circuits, cloud computing, AI, and 3D precision printing. Notably, the new zone dedicated to dual-use technologies demonstrated their contributions in both civilian and military domains.
2019 marked the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. That year, the 22nd CHITEC was held under the theme “Build the Technological Innovation Center and Guide Industries for Quality Development”. The event encompassed various hot topics, such as the Winter Olympics and the blockbuster film “The Wandering Earth”. Notably, the Sci-Tech Winter Olympics Exhibition and “The Wandering Earth” Sci-Fi Zone garnered a considerable influx of visitors.
In 2020, the 23rd CHITEC took place as part of the 2020 ZGC Forum. With the theme “Cooperate and Innovate, Jointly Meet Challenges”, the event emphasized the integrated concept of online to offline exhibitions. For the first time, CHITEC presented exhibitors and exhibits with structured data, comprising text, images, and videos. A notable addition to the event was the Anti-epidemic Technology Zone, which demonstrated the role of technology in epidemic prevention and control from various aspects, including vaccine development, medical equipment, big data, temperature measurement, and disinfection.
In 2021, the ZGC Forum Exhibition (CHITEC) revolved around the theme of “Intelligence, Health, Carbon Neutrality”. It introduced the Exhibition of Hi-Tech Products to cater to the needs of small- and medium-sized startups. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, CHITEC was committed to establishing a regional collaborative innovation service platform that facilitates communications, exhibitions, and business negotiations. Over the course of five days, more than 500 domestic and international companies hailing from 20 provinces and municipalities, including Tianjin, Hebei, Jilin, Jiangxi, Shandong, and Hunan, participated in the event. They showcased the latest advancements in fields such as AI, healthcare, carbon neutrality, and more, delivering a captivating experience of cutting-edge technology to the visitors.
New highlights of the five-day CHITEC in 2023
The 2023 CHITEC, as an integral part of ZGC Forum, will be divided into six zones, encompassing various sectors such as cutting-edge technologies and future industries. The event aims to showcase achievements in frontier sciences such as blockchain, high-end manufacturing, genetics, and cellular therapy. Apart from previous editions, this year’s Exhibition features notable increase in the number of exhibitors, significant innovations on display, and an enhanced level of interactive experiences.
This year’s CHITEC will witness the participation of over 650 exhibitors. Among them are foreign entities such as Siemens and MSD, central enterprises including the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China and China National Building Material Group, and technology leaders like Xiaomi and BOE. The event will also feature the presence of universities and institutes such as the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, and Peking University. Furthermore, delegations from 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, including Tianjin, Anhui, Hunan, and Guangdong, will contribute to the vibrancy of the Exhibition.
The Exhibition will showcase the latest breakthroughs and significant achievements in areas like the metaverse, AI, quantum information, brain science, and cellular and genetic therapy. It will also unveil numerous projects and products that epitomize the forefront of global technologies, including ChainMaker, quantum computing cloud platform, open-source chips, and neuromorphic computing chips.
During the CHITEC press conference, Yu Yingjie, Vice Mayor of Beijing, noted that “each exhibition zone should try to facilitate visitors’ understanding of the respective fields and industries”. To illustrate, the Robotics Zone will not only showcase core technologies and components like chips and sensors but also feature multi-functional robots that have practical applications across various sectors. In the Intelligent Connected New-Energy Vehicles Zone, visitors will have the opportunity to interact with vehicles and immerse themselves in new modes of transportation. Additionally, this year’s CHITEC will introduce a Metaverse Zone, where visitors can engage in interactive experiences utilizing VR, AR, motion capture, and physical models. Such experiences will be further enhanced through technologies such as holographic projection and digital guidance at the event.
Conclusion
Over the past two decades, the Exhibition of ZGC Forum (CHITEC) has remained dedicated to highlighting the accomplishments of technological innovation and fostering collaborative innovation among the government, industry, research, and application sectors. It has also actively fostered international capacity cooperation. As technology continues to evolve and advance, exhibitions are adapting to the changing times, both in format and content. What new and exciting surprises will the upcoming Exhibition of ZGC Forum (CHITEC) bring us? Let us wait and see!
Chairman: Guo Huaigang First-level Inspector: Liu Yang Vice Chairman: Tang Hai...