BCEIA 2025 showcases four decades of analytical innovation

Beijing has once again become a focal point of the global analytical testing field as the 21st Beijing Conference and Exhibition on Instrumental Analysis, aka BCEIA 2025, is being held on Wednesday.

Under the theme of "40 Years Prosperity, A New Era of Analytical Science" and aligned with national strategic priorities and international scientific and technological frontiers, the event features over 40 parallel sessions, seminars and thematic forums. More than 740 exhibitors — both domestic and international — are participating in the exhibition.

Born for the times

Initiated in 1985, the 40-year-old BCEIA has evolved into a globally renowned exhibition and conference on analytical instrumentation. It has not only witnessed the leap in China's analytical testing technology from lagging behind to standing at the world's forefront, but also become an important force in advancing analytical science worldwide.

In the early 1980s, against the backdrop of reform and opening-up, China's scientific community needed a gateway to connect with the world. The BCEIA was established in response to the joint call by the then national science and technology commission and renowned analytical scientists. The first BCEIA, held on Nov 18-21 in 1985, brought together leading Chinese scientists and nearly 180 international experts. A total of 125 exhibitors across 13 countries showcased new technologies and products, providing an opportunity for Chinese attendees to broaden their horizons.

This marked China's first large-scale international academic conference and exhibition in the analytical testing field. With the widespread acclaim it received from the scientific community, regular hosting of the BCEIA became inevitable. In 1986, the China Association for Instrumental Analysis was founded and assumed responsibility for organizing subsequent editions of the BCEIA.

A 40-year leap

Over the past four decades, each step forward of the BCEIA has reflected the progress of analytical science in China. The number of parallel sessions has increased from six in 1985 to 18 this year, covering the full spectrum from basic research to applied fields; the number of domestic exhibitors has risen from 16 in 1985, which accounted for about 10 percent of the total, to 680 in 2023, accounting for more than 90 percent.

The BCEIA Innovation Award for Analytical Instrumentation, established in 1989 and also known as the BCEIA Gold Award, has become a driving force for the development of domestic instruments. As of 2025, this award has recognized more than 230 domestic companies for 210-plus instruments and key components, continuously fueling independent innovation in the sector.

The dual structure of the BCEIA — integrating academic conferences and exhibitions — has created a strong exchange platform for enterprises and scientists. This not only fosters the integration of industry, academia, research and application but also accelerates the translation of scientific research outcomes into industrial practice. A number of "high-precision and advanced" domestic analytical instruments, which have benefited from this integration and outcome translation, now play a key role in areas of national major needs.

The BCEIA has continuously forged international partnerships and invited world-renowned scientists to its stage — including Nobel laureates Ivar Giaever and Koichi Tanaka. In recent years, the academic conference has kept pace with global technological advancements, continuing to bring in internationally acclaimed scientists to conduct in-depth discussions on key areas such as life sciences, precision medicine, medical diagnosis, food safety, environmental analysis, and new materials. At this year's BCEIA, artificial intelligence-enabled analytical science has also been added to the conference agenda for discussion.

The BCEIA continues to expand its exhibition content. Its exhibits span a wide range from high-end analytical instruments, biochemical instruments, reference materials and reagents to general-purpose laboratory equipment and management software, moving beyond traditional analytical instruments to cover a more diverse array. This year, a dedicated innovative technology exhibition area has been set up to focus on showcasing cutting-edge breakthrough achievements and disruptive technological solutions in the field of analytical testing.

As a regular feature of the exhibition in recent years, the scientific and technical literature and authoritative academic journals exhibition area has continued to expand in scale and it has seen an increase in the number of participating institutions. It also provides a rare opportunity for numerous students to engage in face-to-face exchanges with publishing institutions.

Future trajectory

Guided by the vision "Analytical Science Creates Future", BCEIA will leverage its keen insight into cutting-edge trends and forward-thinking topics, continue to guide the development of related disciplines and enterprises, and comprehensively support the advancement of global analytical sciences to new heights.

Going forward, the BCEIA will place greater emphasis on the integration of AI — a transformative force that is poised to inject unprecedented impetus into analytical sciences. This integration will not only enhance the efficiency and accuracy of analytical processes but also redefine the boundaries of what is achievable in fields ranging from emerging pollutant detection to high-throughput biomedical screening.

It will continue to strengthen its role as an efficient matchmaking platform to facilitate in-depth collaboration between universities, research institutes and enterprises, accelerating the translation of research into practical applications. More international engagement is also among the BCEIA's priorities for future development. It will draw globally influential organizations and companies to participate, facilitate the showcasing of global advanced technologies and products, and promote cross-border technology matchmaking and industrial collaboration.