Innovation attracts foreign delegations to China International Industry Fair

Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence have been playing a bigger role in the upgrading of China's manufacturing industry and the process of new industrialization, according to officials and company executives at the 25th China International Industry Fair (CIIF).

This year's CIIF, which is running in Shanghai from Tuesday until Saturday, will see more than 1,000 new technologies and products make their national or global debut, setting a new record. Covering about 300,000 square meters, also a record high, the CIIF has now outgrown its peer, the 78-year-old Hannover Messe, in size.

This year's CIIF also has more international exhibitors than previous editions, attracting 3,000 companies from 28 countries and regions including Germany, Japan and the United States.

The Saudi Arabian delegation, for example, is demonstrating progress in industrial transformation, the Industry 4.0 initiative and smart manufacturing, which are part of the country's Vision 2030 strategy.