New elements and new faces emerge at the "try new" CIIE, with "old friends" bringing "hard goods" to the stage
From fresh fruit cheese in the dining car to the intelligent imaging platform of medical giants, the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Shanghai), known as the "Four Leaf Clover", once again welcomed global exhibitors from November 5th to 10th. As a grand event of "China builds a platform, the world shares", the China International Import Expo (CIIE), which has been successfully held for 6 sessions, has become even more innovative this year, with more than 400 representative new products, technologies, and services appearing. At the same time as the emergence of "new elements" and "new faces", the "old friends" of the CIIE also appeared with many distinctive "hard goods". The Global Times reporter saw at the CIIE that the open Chinese market is converging with more and more global opportunities, seeking a path of common prosperity.
Ecuadorian booth staff introduce banana products. Photo by Li Hao
Agricultural products have audience appeal
At this year's Expo, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Uzbekistan and other guest of honor countries are members of the "the Belt and Road" circle of friends, and their coffee, honey and other special products are very popular with the audience. In addition, this year's CIIE also provides support for 37 "least developed countries" to participate in national and enterprise exhibitions, and offers over 120 free booths for enterprises from these countries, showcasing many agricultural products from afar.
The theme of Tanzania's exhibition this time is "Bridge of China Africa Friendship, Symphony of Nature and Culture", mainly showcasing products such as coffee, nuts, red wine, as well as various locally made handicrafts. "We have received a lot of buyers these days, and this lively scene can only be seen in China," said Mula, a Tanzanian exhibitor who introduced local coffee to many audiences, smiling to the Global Times reporter, "Tanzania has actively participated in both the Expo and the joint construction of the the Belt and Road, and we all hope to strengthen cooperation and develop friendship with China."
Kazakhstan is an important node of Eurasian connectivity and the first place to jointly build the "the Belt and Road". It is reported that more than 50 companies from Kazakhstan have appeared at the CIIE this year. Ice Master "is an ice cream brand from Kazakhstan, and the company's exhibitors were very excited when they learned that a Global Times reporter had purchased" Ice Master "products in Xi'an. Yes, our product has already been sold there! "He said, and the company plans to find more agents through the platform of the CIIE to further explore the Chinese market.
Zambia's honey has been a "star product" at multiple CIIEs, and this year is no exception. Xing Xian, the head of the overseas business unit of Mupeng De Wild Honey Co., Ltd., told Global Times reporters that benefiting from the huge demand in the Chinese market, the company's factory located in the Kabwe Industrial Zone of Zambia has added two production lines this year, and currently exports about 20 tons of honey products to China annually.
More than 250 Australian companies participated in this year's CIIE, with nearly 70% of the delegation being food and beverage companies. On the 6th, JD Supermarket signed a memorandum of understanding with the Australian Avocado Association. Daniel Keshwind, Chairman of the Queensland Trade and Investment Commission, stated that the CIIE is an excellent opportunity to connect with Chinese consumers and introduce Australian products to them.
Innovation incubation and advanced equipment have multiple pathways
At the CIIE, the Innovation Incubation Zone was crowded with people, attracting visitors to try on and experience various high-tech products.
In front of the CHAIRLESS CHAIR 2.0 booth, a winding team of try ons was already waiting. This exoskeleton seat, launched by German company Noonee, can be worn on the body, allowing users to "sit in place" anytime, anywhere. According to the exhibition representatives, the material of this exoskeleton seat is mainly carbon fiber, which is not only lightweight, but also has high strength and durability. This product is mainly designed for people who need to stand for a long time, such as frontline workers in automobile factories and aerospace industries.
A reporter from Global Times found during a try on that the exoskeleton seat, which appeared to be quite small in size, weighed only 3 kilograms. The wearing process was very simple and could be completed independently by one person. Just bend your knees, and the exoskeleton will lock in the sitting configuration, guiding the weight to the heel of the shoe and connecting it to the heel.
The first American company to participate in the exhibition brought the world's first intelligent power shoe that allows people to walk at running speed - the Moonwalker. This intelligent power shoe looks like a pair of lace up sandals with wheels, but one of them weighs only 1.9 kilograms. But the reporter's on-site experience found that smart power shoes not only save effort when worn on the feet, but also "walk like flying" with the help of sliding wheels.
Global Times reporter experiences smart power shoes. Photo by Dong Wanhe
Zhang Xunjie, CEO and founder of Sunac Technology, introduced to Global Times reporters that moonwalkers can allow wearers to move smoothly at a maximum speed of 11.3 kilometers per hour, which is equivalent to 250% of the average walking speed of adults, and can walk 11.3 kilometers on a full charge. The shoes also have an AI driven gearbox that can adjust speed in real-time based on a series of sensors collecting walking data.
The Michelin and BMW booths, which have participated in the CIIE multiple times in a row, are blowing a storm of "green technology". Michelin's 71% sustainable material tires and lunar rover tires made their Asian debut at the CIIE, while BMW showcased multiple plug-in hybrid and pure electric models, as well as materials related to new generation models. We firmly believe in open innovation and collaborate with China's top scientific research forces in cutting-edge technology fields to create products that meet the needs of Chinese consumers, providing users with a more humane, intelligent, and responsible travel experience, "said Gao Xiang, President and CEO of BMW Group Greater China
Another eye-catching feature is Omron in the technical equipment exhibition area. The company's "FORPHEUS" table tennis coach robot made another appearance at the Expo this year and invited table tennis world champion Niu Jianfeng to compete with the robot. It is reported that through sensors, robots can accurately capture rich information about table tennis and players during matches, and display real-time information such as players' heart rate, facial expressions, blink frequency, etc. They can also continuously measure their ability to hit and select the appropriate level of return ball.
Omron booth showcases human-machine training. (Visual China)
Medical and health are full of technological standards
In the medical equipment and healthcare exhibition area, the 7th edition of the "All in One" Royal Philips of the Netherlands brought multiple debut and exhibition products. The global intelligent magnetic resonance Elition AI+, which was exhibited for the first time in China, has attracted attention. It is equipped with targeted AI technology SmartSpeed and global intelligent imaging platform SmartStation, which provides new possibilities for balancing quality and speed. Hospitals can quickly meet their imaging scanning needs.
At the Philips booth, the world's first pebble portable electric shaver was very popular. This 100 yuan single product features "micro lift cutting" shaving technology, innovatively developed for Chinese consumers to adapt to diverse travel scenarios. On the other side of the booth, the experiment of simulating the scalp with flowers also caught the attention of Global Times reporters. After blowing the rose petals for 60 seconds with a hair dryer, the petals remained fresh and tender. This hair care machine is Philips' new 7 Series Air high-speed hair care machine, which uses ThermoShield intelligent temperature control hair care technology in conjunction with an intelligent NTC chip to avoid scalp damage caused by excessive temperature.
Canada's Air Nutri Solution Inc. Technology Group has brought the world's first "Ningzhi Stress Relief Study", becoming one of the popular check-in destinations. Entering the study, the Global Times reporter felt a fresh breath of air rushing towards him. The study is equipped with a stress relieving and sleeping machine, which creates a microenvironment with the advantage of loaded electric particles to help people relieve anxiety, relieve stress, regulate emotions, improve sleep, and enhance concentration.
The first show in the consumer field is clustered together
The consumer goods exhibition area, which has been popular in previous CIIEs, continues to be the "top stream" this year. In the consumer goods exhibition area, lululemon's booth was jokingly referred to by netizens as the "most curly" booth. This is lululemon's first appearance at the CIIE, and its booth is designed in the shape of a yoga mat that is currently unfolding, inspired by the origin of the brand - yoga. Lululemon presented its core product line at the CIIE, including Align, Fast&Free, and Wunder Train series designed specifically for women's yoga, running, and training.
Mount Huangshan Yan, managing director of Lululemon China, told the Global Times reporter, "We are honored to be able to make our first appearance at the Expo, take this opportunity to establish ties with partners, guests and communities, and convey our firm commitment to further develop the Chinese market."
Previously, "China Hotel" successfully attracted foreign tourists with its intelligent, technological, cost-effective, and artistic Chinese style, becoming a "traffic code" for social media. China Hotel Group Huazhu participated in the CIIE for the first time this year, bringing a brand new version of the season - the hazy and blank visual effect in the lobby, the strong Zen tea atmosphere in the tea space, and the minimalist and intelligent design in the guest rooms, showcasing how "China Hotel" presents Eastern culture to audiences at home and abroad.
Huazhu Group CEO Jin Hui said, "The Chinese hotel industry has already acquired some core competitiveness and advantages, such as leading in integration efficiency and technology applications
Source: Global Times