City basks in hi-tech summer show

Through partnership with the giant Consumer Electronics Show (CES) held each January in Las Vegas, the 2008 China International Electronics Show (SINOCES) in Qingdao is now attracting the industry's top manufacturers, purchasers and designers.

SINOCES began its official cooperation with CES in 2005 and is the only partner of CES worldwide.

"We are confident that the two sides will work together to further promote SINOCES to a new stage," said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of the International Consumer Electronics Association, sponsor of the world's major technology-related show CES.

"I believe SINOCES will become bigger next year. We are positive about this,"he added.

With China's consumer electronics market expanding and the influence of SINOCES growing, CES has strengthened its collaboration with the Qingdao show.

In response to lobbying by CES, the US Department of Commerce made presentations on SINOCES in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and Las Vegas this year.

Certified by the Commerce Department last June, SINOCES is the only fair of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region promoted by the department.

CEA assisted SINOCES with overseas promotion in 2007 by inviting renowned firms, multinationals and purchasing groups to attend the China event, including GE, Intel, Best Buy and Radio Shack.

According to fair organizers, 12 products that won the prestigious Innovation and Technology Award at CES are making their Asia debut in Qingdao.

A forum on the future of green technology will be part of the forum, held in an effort to accelerate development and application of top consumer electronics technology in China.

China's ministries of commerce, information industry, and science and technology gave their support to create an international, professional and market-oriented trade fair in Qingdao when it began in 2001.

The 2006 SINOCES fair attracted more than 400 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors, over 30 percent more than 2005.

The number of visitors surpassed 80,000 last year, when 430 companies showed their products and technologies - 26 percent of them foreign exhibitors.

Its expanding scale and growing influence have won the fair a reputation as the leading consumer electronics show in the Asia-Pacific region.

Statistics from consulting firm McKinsey & Co show China's consumer electronics market is increasing at an annual rate of 12 percent, with total market volume projected to reach $125 billion in 2010.

Such growth has enticed global manufacturers and retailers to jostle for entry or expand their market share in the fast-growing market.

China is becoming the biggest piece of the cake in the eyes of consumer electronics giants, industry insiders said.

Collaboration with CES will further the influence of SINOCES in promoting globalization of consumer electronics, said organizers.

Jointly sponsored by China's ministries of commerce, information industry, and science and technology as well as the Shandong provincial government, SINOCES is expanding its influence in globalized consumer electronics through its partnership with CES.

A new schedule is now in place for the industry - a CES wintertime session in Las Vegas and SINOCES in summer in Qingdao.

(China Daily 07/11/2008 page24)