27th China Hi-Tech Fair opens in Shenzhen with exhibitors from 120+ economies

Overview

The 27th China Hi-Tech Fair (CHTF) opened on November 14, 2025, at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Bao'an District, Shenzhen, and ran for three days until November 16. According to the organizer's official website, more than 5,000 companies and institutions from over 120 countries and regions took part.

Pre-event information put the exhibition area at about 400,000 square meters and expected attendance at more than 500,000 visitors. The fair is led by the Shenzhen Municipal People's Government and operated by Zhenwei International Exhibition Group. JETRO's trade fair database also lists it as an international trade show for industry professionals.

Background

First held in 1999, the CHTF has become Shenzhen's flagship international technology fair and a platform for exhibiting high-tech products and research results, technology trading and investment matchmaking. It follows a market-oriented approach that prioritizes the business needs of exhibitors and professional visitors. The organizer reported that the previous, 26th edition attracted 400,000 visits.

Shenzhen hosts a dense electronics and information technology supply chain and in recent years has prioritized AI, robotics, the drone-centered low-altitude economy and semiconductors. The fair also serves as a showcase for the results of these industrial policies to domestic and international audiences.

From electronic components to drones and robots, Shenzhen has developed a relatively complete industrial ecosystem spanning R&D to mass production, which is seen as one reason many companies use the CHTF to launch new products and look for partners.

Key Points

The main exhibition areas announced in advance were:

• Major national technical equipment
• Industry chains of leading technology companies
• Future frontier technologies
• AI and big data
• Semiconductors and integrated circuits
• Low-altitude economy and aerospace
• Science and technology achievements from provinces, cities and overseas

Automobiles, robotics, high-end equipment manufacturing, medical devices, semiconductor displays, smart agriculture and low-carbon green technologies were also featured. Side events included an academicians' forum, global procurement matchmaking, investment and financing matchmaking, and awards for outstanding products.

As one example of participation from outside the mainland, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council organized a Hong Kong Pavilion, where three start-ups from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University exhibited in fields including healthcare and construction technology.

Significance for Japan-Shenzhen Exchange

The CHTF offers a single venue to grasp the latest trends among Shenzhen's technology companies and research institutions, and it may give Japanese companies opportunities to find customers for components and materials as well as partners for joint research. Some observers see fields where Japanese firms are strong, such as precision components, measuring instruments and materials, as complementary to Shenzhen's fast-growing robotics, low-altitude economy and electric vehicle industries.

For Shenzhen companies, contact with overseas exhibitors and visitors can also inform plans to expand into overseas markets, including Japan. The scale of Japanese participation this year could not be confirmed from available materials, but there is interest in how such fairs can broaden technology and talent exchange.

Outlook

Final results for the 27th edition, such as visitor numbers and the value of deals, could not be confirmed from materials available at the time of writing. The organizer intends to continue holding the fair in Shenzhen, and the mix of exhibition areas and the level of overseas participation will remain points to watch.

In addition, it was announced on November 1, 2025, that Shenzhen will host the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2026. China has indicated that it will promote cooperation in areas such as AI and the digital economy during its host year, and there is interest in whether Shenzhen's profile as a venue for international technology exchange will rise further. For Japanese companies and institutions, trade fairs and forums held in Shenzhen around 2026 may become important windows for understanding local industrial trends and building networks. How the CHTF adjusts its international profile in the coming years will also be worth watching.

From the Association

Technology fairs are valuable occasions for Japanese and Shenzhen companies to meet directly and learn about each other's strengths. The Association will continue to follow such developments and to provide information and opportunities that support exchange between companies and researchers in the two regions.