Authorities and event organizers in the Guizhou capital of Guiyang are making final preparations to host the 2016 International Big Data Expo from May 25 to 29.
Held under the theme “Big Data Ushers in Intelligent Times”, the expo will showcase the latest products and technology related to big data and the global development of it. It will also offer a chance for industry leaders to discuss the current challenges and development opportunities of big data.
Some of the largest companies in the world will be among those exhibiting at the event, including Alibaba, Dell and Microsoft. Confirmed speakers include Qualcomm President Derek Aberle; Foxconn Chairman Terry Guo; and Jingdong Chief Executive Officer Liu Qiangdong.
In excess of 60 forums will take place over the course of the expo, covering such topics as economy and social development, industrial application, technology and trends, security and privacy protection, and e-commerce business.
Discussing artificial intelligence, industrial big data and the integration of big data with industries will be experts from the US consulting company Gartner and the China’s Industrial Alliance of Internet Industries.
Key trends at the expo are expected to revolve around intelligent robotics and virtual reality. Exhibiters are expected to showcase a variety of products highlighting the application of robotics and virtual reality technology in an industrial application. So far, 30 official product launches have been tipped to take place at the expo, ranging from high-end servers to visualization platforms.
International organizations have stepped in to offer support for the expo, including the International Telecommunication Union. The UK, US and ASEAN countries will host forums in collaboration with expo organizers. After the success of last year’s inaugural expo, which attracted 400 exhibitors and 40,000 visitors, and prompted a number of key cooperation projects to be signed, this year’s event will open specifically for journalists from May 25 to 26 before opening to the general public.
Guizhou has focused its attention developing its big data industry in recent years. According to government statistics, big data-related accounted for a turnover of 91.6-billion-yuan in 2015, a 38-percent growth compared to 2014.
The province is currently home to 18 national research institutions, 87 talent bases and eight national and provincial incubators. A big data exchange opened on April 14 last year, while China's first local regulation on big data took effect on March 1 this year.
Technology giants including Alibaba, Tecent, Foxconn and Hewlett-Packard have launched cooperation plans with the governments of Guiyang and Guizhou since 2012. United States chipmaker Qualcomm set up a semiconductor company focusing on the design, development and marketing of server chips in the Guian New Area of Guizhou – a key region for developing the big data industry. The Guizhou government and JD (China's second-largest e-commerce company) signed a strategic cooperation agreement on March 22 to promote the development of e-commerce in the province’s rural areas.
Preferential policies have been implemented in the province to stimulate growth in its big data industries. One policy, which took effect at the start of the year, enables big data industry entrepreneurs in Guizhou to apply for startup funding worth up to 5 million yuan ($766,870). Universities and companies are also encouraged to set up big data training bases, with funding between 500,000 yuan and 2 million yuan available.
