Advanced manufacturers from China and around the world are building new links with each other at the second China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), which opened on Tuesday in Beijing.
Themed "Connecting the World for a Shared Future", the five-day expo is scheduled to run till Saturday, gathering industry leaders and experts from around the world to promote global cooperation in industrial and supply chains.
The advanced manufacturing chain exhibition area, new at this year's event, showcases research and development design, new material applications, key components and processing, intelligent manufacturing, and high-end equipment.
During the event, China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), the world's largest manufacturer of trains, is showcasing its latest efforts in control systems and green power technologies, hoping to use the expo as a platform to find new partners.
"For sure, we are here at the fair because we also want to attract a lot of partners. We want to work together to also export our products worldwide. Because we are very ready for this," said Li Kangxiong, a specialist at CRRC.
With the addition of the advanced manufacturing chain, more international firms are joining the expo to tap deeper into the Chinese market.
German manufacturing company Knorr-Bremse is participating in the expo for the first time, showcasing their latest products made possible with their Chinese partners.
With 30 years of business ties in China, the Knorr-Bremse has become well-integrated with the country's industries.
"Although we are a German company originally, we have more people in China than we do in Germany these days. So China becomes an extremely important partner of our business and we need to be integrated in the infrastructure," said Jonathan Paddison, a member of the board at Knorr-Bremse Asia Pacific.
Herrmann Ultrasonic, a global technology leader in ultrasonic welding, is also seeking opportunities at the expo.
"We have been focusing our efforts on innovation in the field of ultrasonic welding. Although it is our first time participating, we have seen many potential end users," said Zhang Lihua, director of the metal division at Herrmann Ultrasonic.
Meanwhile, Chinese companies are also looking to explore new cooperation opportunities with global firms.
"I think that when Chinese companies reach a certain stage of development, they should move beyond mere assembly at the end and focus on innovation. Building on this, we need to aim higher and advance towards the upstream of the industrial chain and the supply chain," said Wang Cheng, COO of TCL Technology.
The second edition of the expo has seen a 20 percent increase in participating companies compared to the first edition last year.
Many participants said they aimed to learn about the latest trends in the Chinese market and build connections with potential suppliers, both Chinese and international, at the expo, hoping to keep up with the fast-changing and diverse market demands.
New zone for advanced manufacturing debuts at supply chain expo in Beijing
