“Exhibition Boosts Specialized Town Construction Forum” Supports Economic Recovery and Industrial Agglomeration in China
Datong, Shanxi – The sub-forum of the first Shanxi Specialty Town Investment and Trade Expo, titled “Exhibition Boosts Specialty Town Construction Forum,” took place on June 30th. Experts attending the forum highlighted the significant contribution of exhibitions to the construction of specialized professional towns and the promotion of industrial agglomeration.
The Ministry of Commerce’s statistics indicate that there has been a substantial increase in exhibitions held by professional exhibition halls in China since the beginning of this year. From January to May 2023, a total of 1,448 exhibitions were organized, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.7 times and a 4.2% rise compared to the same period in 2019, prior to the pandemic. The total exhibition area reached 35.801 million square meters, showing a year-on-year increase of 7.9 times and a 13.7% growth over the same period in 2019. Specifically, there were 834 large-scale exhibitions with an exhibition area exceeding 10,000 square meters, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.8 times and a 23.4% rise compared to 2019.
Yuan Zaiqing, former president of the China Exhibition Economy Research Association and director of the Academic Steering Committee, emphasized the role of exhibitions in promoting regional economic development. He highlighted that the expo held in Datong serves as a practical example of how exhibitions boost investment in Shanxi’s specialized professional towns, acting as a platform for the development of Shanxi’s characteristic industries and fostering industrial collaboration.
To ensure the continued growth of the exhibition economy, Yuan Zaiqing urged the government and industry associations to leverage their organizational and industrial advantages. By becoming essential bridges for cooperation and exchanges, these entities can facilitate the integration of the exhibition industry and the real economy while supporting the construction and development of specialized professional towns.
Chu Xiangyin, chief researcher of the China Convention and Exhibition Economy Research Association, delivered a speech titled “Give full play to the role of convention and exhibition as a leading industry to promote economic development.” Chu emphasized that conventions and exhibitions function as bridges that connect resources, markets, and production and consumption. To maximize their impact, he called for the exhibition platform’s efficient resource utilization, ensuring that resources flow to the most effective departments and regions, ultimately optimizing the social production pattern.
During the forum, experts and scholars highlighted the importance of developing county-level exhibitions. Chen Zeyan, the deputy director of the Academic Steering Committee of the China Convention and Exhibition Economy Research Association, stressed that the growth of county-level exhibitions drives the development of specialized industries and fosters economic prosperity at the county level. The construction of specialized professional towns in Shanxi presents tremendous potential for the local county-level exhibition economy.
China currently boasts a staggering 2,634 small and medium-sized cities. Among cities above the prefecture level, small and medium-sized cities account for 56%. Zhu Feiyue, the Director of the Research Center for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Cities of the China Convention and Exhibition Economy Research Association, highlighted the untapped potential of the convention and exhibition industry in small and medium-sized cities. To harness this potential, Zhu suggested establishing research bases to develop the county-level convention and exhibition industry.
The successful “Exhibition Boosts Specialized Town Construction Forum” not only demonstrates the resilience of China’s exhibition industry but also highlights the crucial role conventions and exhibitions play in driving economic recovery, promoting industrial agglomeration, and fostering the development of specialized professional towns.