A visitor experiences a Zeiss surgical microscope at the ZEISS booth in the medical equipment and healthcare exhibition area on Friday. Photo: Xinhua
From smart unmanned vaccination capsules and artificial meat to the world's first complete carbon fiber supercar and the safest electric wheeled excavator, the ongoing third China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai has become a fest for high-tech products, showcasing consumer options for an exciting future.
More than 100 new products, technologies or services are showcased in the CIIE, among which half are represented for the first time, Kong Fuan, vice director at the CIIE bureau, told the Global Times in a statement sent on Sunday.
At least 674 exhibitors from 64 countries and 1,351 buyers have participated in the exhibition's online and on-site events. As of press time, 861 tentative cooperation agreements have been reached, read the statement.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of medical products and services is a highlight of the CIIE, and global medical giants are flocking to present cutting-edge achievements in product innovation and health management.
For example, a smart unmanned vaccination capsule made by French multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi made its debut on Thursday. When a sudden epidemic or seasonal vaccination period arrives, the rapid deployment of a large number of such chambers can effectively alleviate huge pressure on clinics.
China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) has placed technology and innovation as one of the most important priorities. As an international company, we agree that technology and innovation is capital needed to survive, Zhang Yufeng, president of US conglomerate Honeywell China, told the Global Times on Sunday. At CIIE, Honeywell brought more than 30 technologies and products.
According to Zhang, the company has built an innovation center in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province and hopes to provide better service to the market.
Organizers' data showed the actual exhibition area far exceeds the planned area of 60,000 square meters, and there are nearly 340 exhibitors focusing on drugs, medical equipment, elderly rehabilitation, nutrition alternatives and medical services.
At a food exhibition area, some golden-color "chicken nuggets" have enticed guests to take a bite. But the nuggets are actually made of plant protein. The artificial meat is dubbed a "future food." "It tasted very much like chicken and is very tender. But it is vegan, so it is helpful for my fitness," said a buyer quoted by the Xinhua News Agency.
Omron at the equipment exhibition area showed a robot ping pong coach, which could play with humans. It is described as one of the smartest robots in the CIIE that could "read minds." According to Xinhua, compared with previous generations, the current version is equipped with a human body sensor that can sense the trainer's heart rate and judge the emotion of the trainer based on a series of comprehensive indicators, thereby adjusting training intensity and improving the work-out.
The world's top auto companies made their mark at the third CIIE too. For instance, eExpo attendees were able to see the world's first all-carbon fiber super sports car, the world's first mass-produced hydrogen-fueled truck, and other energy-saving and environmentally-friendly hydrogen fuel vehicles. The world's smallest pacemaker Medtronic Micra is displayed at the exhibition. Photo: Yang Hui/GT People try burgers and "chicken nuggets" made with plant protein. Photo: Yang Hui/GT Visitors check the Michelin Vision concept tires at the ongoing third China International Import Expo in Shanghai. Photo: Yang Hui/GT A Microsoft robot at the exhibition Photo: Yang Hui/GT
